


Bridging the Sky

by orphan_account



Category: Princess Tutu
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Urban Fantasy, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, F/M, Fairy Tale Retellings, Hurt/Comfort, Mutual Pining, Road Trips, Slow Burn, Urban Fantasy, endgame is fakiru and ruetho
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-05-24
Updated: 2017-03-04
Packaged: 2018-06-10 12:05:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 132,819
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6955834
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ahiru, the youngest daughter in a struggling family, grew up knowing that fairytales were real. In a world where fae have made their existence known, integration has led to violence and struggle throughout her entire life. Yet she never realized how entwined she would become in this conflict until the night a fae bear appears on her doorstep, promising unimaginable wealth for her family in exchange for one thing: for Ahiru to come live at his castle. Ahiru has no idea that her decision will set in motion a terrible chain of events that will threaten everything she holds dear, and will send her on a dangerous journey, full of unexpected wonders in a world where the impossible is found around every corner, to find a place that might not even exist. An urban fantasy retelling of the fairy tale East of the Sun and West of the Moon.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Beta-read by [letters_of_stars](http://archiveofourown.org/users/letters_of_stars/pseuds/letters_of_stars).

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Beta-read by [letters_of_stars](http://archiveofourown.org/users/letters_of_stars/pseuds/letters_of_stars).

It started small, as most things do. A single drop of rain on a still pool.

Ripples spread outward from the center, one by one. Another drop of rain fell. And another. And another. And so on and so forth, until the water was no longer a still pool but an ocean, surging and snarling, hurling itself against an already-scarred shore. The waves crashed onto the coast in a great flood, and flowed over the land in every direction.

It trickled through alleys where hobgoblins peddled their stolen wares to unwary passers-by. It dripped from the faucets in nurseries guarded by devas, who flitted about like fireflies upon hearing. It sang in the blood of glaistigs, and streamed down lonely old roads haunted by will o’ the wisps left purposeless in the age of the GPS. It babbled through brooks in glade and glen, stirring sleeping nixies and rousing drowsy dryads. It murmured and it mumbled and it whispered, until the susurrus became a shout, roaring through city and countryside alike. It began as the sprinkle of a few voices, and became a hurricane of thousands. And every single one said the same thing, to anyone who would lend an ear.

_‘Have you heard? The prince is searching for a bride.’_

Like a single stream that flowed down from its mountain source to merge with the rivers, the news spread fast. It spread first amongst the fae, and though they would have preferred to _keep_ it amongst themselves, it inevitably reached human ears in short order. And so a rumble of thunder sounded from a distance, bringing unease into the voices of those who continued to carry the news. Did the fae dare to hope? It seemed a dangerous prospect, all the more so now that human eyes had turned to them with fresh suspicion reflected there. For who hadn’t heard the tales of the fae and their unlucky brides, stolen from their homes in the dead of night, never to be seen again? Legend and truth alike had had centuries to sink into the collective human consciousness, and not everyone cared to make the effort to separate fact from fiction. What maelstrom might this rumor bring? None knew, and all eyed the horizon with a steadily simmering fear.

By and by, the words came to splash softly against the face of the prince himself, who smiled as he felt them. Even had he made an official announcement it could not have sailed at such a speed.

And the winds carried the storm clouds through the sky, hither and thither above the dampening earth and slick sidewalks, until at last it drizzled down on the rooftops of a castle rumored to lie east of the sun and west of the moon, if it was rumored to exist at all. The lord of the castle smiled too, a smile as sharp and cold and cruel as a shard of hail. For he alone knew of the futility of the prince’s search. He alone knew that the prince’s bride had already been chosen for him and that naught could change it, any more than the restless tides could be called upon to cease.

For he had been the one to do the choosing, and had no intention of altering his course.

 

* * *

 

 

“—no fatalities, though minor injuries were suffered by the glaistig employees who put out the fire. No suspects have been apprehended, but authorities say—”

Ahiru lifted her head and scowled at the radio with bleary eyes, never mind that it was hidden under her pillow and the newscaster wouldn’t be able to see her glare anyway. What a way to begin the day. What were the ‘authorities’ saying now? There wouldn’t be any suspects apprehended, not this time, not the last time, and not next time either. Everyone knew the cops turned a blind eye to violence against fae. And, with the anti-fae sentiment running high lately, most everyone didn’t care. Unless there was a chance the crime was perpetrated _by_ fae, or at least could be spun to look that way. No one even called it what it was when fae were the victims.

“—of isolated incidents on the rise lately, ever since the rumors came out that the prince of—”

String of isolated incidents? That’s what they were calling it? Seriously? Bullshit. Ahiru rolled her eyes and shut off the radio. She’d had enough. She’d been waking up to similar stories to this for weeks now. How blind did you have to _be_ to call them isolated incidents and then speculate that they were all motivated by a very specific thing? And what a stupid reason for all this to be happening, anyway. Not that there was ever a _good_ reason to lob Molotov cocktails through the windows of fae-owned businesses, but still. Who _cared_ if some fairy prince wanted to get married? Let him get married. But hardly like people had needed the excuse. Anti-fae sentiment had been spilling over like oil ever since visible integration began. This prince was simply a lit match, ready to be dropped.

But she didn’t have time to lie here and brood about it. It was a few minutes past when her alarm would’ve gone off, and she needed to get up and face the day. Judging by the lack of light coming through the window it was the sort of gloomy day that she would’ve preferred to spend in bed, but that wasn’t an option. Ahiru let out a soft groan and dragged herself out of bed and the room as quietly as she could, lest she wake her sleeping sister.

Her mother was in the kitchen when she got there, rushing to put together a lunch from the many things crowded onto the counter. She turned her head at the sound of footsteps. “Oh, you’re awake. Morning, sweetie.”

“Yeah. Morning, Mom.” Ahiru yawned. “You’re working today?”

“Yeah—a sixth grade teacher came down with the flu, so I should have work at least today and tomorrow, maybe Monday if I’m lucky and he’s not.” Paulamoni went back to spreading mayonnaise on a slice of bread, dripping some on the counter in her haste. “But I have to—shit!” Somehow, an elbow connected with the jar of mayo, knocking it over and sending it rolling across the counter. “ _Shit!_ ”

“I got it, I got it!” Ahiru rushed forward to help before her mother accidentally made more of a mess of things. The mouth of the jar had managed to score a direct hit on where Malen’s pills were laid out for her, sending them skidding across the counter and some onto the kitchen floor. Paulamoni’s attempt to retrieve the mayo sent the package of sliced turkey into the sink along with the knife she’d been using, and she made increasingly frustrated sounds as she saw how the pills had scattered.

“Here.” Ahiru scooped up the pills from where they’d landed in their flight, bending over to pick the few up off the floor, and deposited them safely on the other side of the nearly-empty bottles they’d come from. “I got them all, don’t worry.”

“No, there’s one missing, it must’ve rolled off.” Paulamoni turned and scanned the kitchen floor frantically. “Oh, I’m so _stupid!_ ”

“No, you’re not, I’ll find it, it’s okay!” Ahiru dropped to the floor and started searching carefully for the missing pill. “Just finish making your lunch!”

“Thanks.” Paulamoni turned back, and retrieved the knife and lunch meat from the sink before setting the mayo jar upright again. “You know how it is when you’re in a hurry, you get clumsy and make a mess of everything. And I’ve gotta get outta here soon, I have to take the bus into the city and then I still have to catch the subway to the right school and I’m not used to the subway system yet, ugh, it’s a mess. But I couldn’t say no because we need the money, so many bills are due next week, _and_ the rent, cause God fucking forbid everything not happen at once.” She rolled her eyes.

“I know.” Ahiru located the pill, which had wound up just under the corner of the fridge. She dusted it off and put it on the counter along with the rest of Malen’s medications. “It’ll be okay, you’ll make it there on time, and look, I found it.”

“I hope so.” Paulamoni sighed and stuffed her sandwich into her insulated bag. “And thanks. If it was just some chewable vitamin I’d say to leave it, but we can’t afford that right now.”

“Yeah, I know.” Ahiru grabbed the mayo jar and turkey pouch from her mother and took them over to the fridge, putting them away in their places and getting her flavored creamer out. She carried it over to the coffee pot and got a mug down that she filled with coffee and a generous helping of said creamer. She was getting low on the creamer, though, so she'd either have to make it last till the weekend or ask Lilie to pick some up during her shift at the grocery store tonight. It was a small luxury she allowed herself. “I found it and I dusted it off, so it’s okay, don’t worry about it. Just get going so you’re not late.”

“I’m going, I’m going. Are you gonna be okay walking to work, though?” Paulamoni stopped checking her wallet for bus fare long enough to cast a nervous glance out the window. “It looks like it’s gonna rain.”

“Yeah, probably, but I’ll be okay.” Ahiru put some bread in the toaster and took a sip of coffee. “The café isn’t that far away, it’s not a big deal. Don’t worry about me.”

“Ahiru, I’m your mother. Worrying about you is my job.” Paulamoni rinsed out her travel mug and stuck it in the sink. “And it’s not just the weather, things aren’t as safe around here as they used to be. You just can’t trust people the way you could years ago.” She looked out at the backyard this time and sighed. “The neighborhood is really going downhill. You don’t remember what it was like before cause you were too little, but it used to be the kind of place where you could just leave your doors unlocked, or walk around at night without pepper spray. And now look.”

“I’ll be _fine_ ,” Ahiru said. By now she’d exchanged the creamer bottle for the milk jug, and had it and a box of cornflakes balanced in one arm, with her coffee mug, cereal bowl, and spoon held precariously in her other hand. She could feel her mother’s anxious eyes on her as she walked over to the table, but nothing fell or spilled on the way over. A small drop of coffee splashed over the rim of the mug and onto the wood when she set things down, but who cared, big deal, it could’ve been a lot worse. “And I don’t think it’s _that_ bad around here.”

“Well, it’s better than some places, but it’s not what it used to be. Like I said, you wouldn’t remember. You were too young when things changed.” Paulamoni shook her head. “Anyway, I gotta get going. Is there anything you want me to pick up on my way home?”

“No thanks,” Ahiru answered around a mouthful of cornflakes. “See you later.”

“Bye, and be careful!” Paulamoni called over her shoulder as she hurried off.

Ahiru ate as quickly as she could, though she was distracted by thinking about what her mother had said. She knew exactly what her mother actually meant with her talk about things ‘not being as safe anymore’ and ‘how things used to be’. It always made Ahiru uncomfortable, but she’d learned it led to a much happier household to just keep her mouth shut and nod whenever Paulamoni got started. But, really, ‘when things changed’? That made it sound so apocalyptic. The only thing that had changed was that the fae decided to announce their existence. They’d always been there, secretly, for hundreds of years, and humans had been happy to tell fairy tales and encourage children to believe in pixies. But when the fae finally came forth, suddenly humankind didn’t find them so enchanting. And they certainly didn’t want fairies to begin living openly among them.

That had started while Ahiru was still in kindergarten, fourteen years ago, so her memories of life before finding out that fairies were real were hazy at best. Hell, she wasn’t sure she even _had_ those memories, not the way other people did. When the truth came out she’d still been at the age when she believed in them anyway, and her parents had encouraged her belief in them or at least played along, kinda like what people did with Santa Claus (who, to the disappointment of tons of children, had turned out to be a human-made myth and not a type of fae). Maybe that was part of why she’d adjusted so much better to the open integration than most. To her, they’d always been there anyway. Fae. The People. Fairies. The Gentry. Whatever the name for them, her younger self had believed they were there. And now they really were, but her pure-hearted belief had been tainted by the reception the fae received.

It probably didn’t help the local attitudes much that they were in a smaller township. Big cities were supposed to be more accepting, or at least that was what Ahiru had heard. But out in the suburbs, where integration had been slower, things were different. And they were even worse in more rural areas. On some level that seemed like it should be the other way around, since the fae had migrated from the countryside in the first place, only reluctantly making their way into cities. But the country was where the old legends had thrived best over the centuries, twisting from fairy tales into something darker, and the towns the fairies had once called home were rife with superstition and distrust towards anyone not fitting the norm. They had no home there anymore.

Not that it was much better anywhere else. In a way, townships like Twin Pines—straddling that strange liminal space between urban and rural with shopping centers and housing complexes right up against patches big and small of undeveloped land—were the worst. People wanted more development in their towns to ‘create jobs’ and boost the local economy, but only as long as those jobs only went to humans. Some fae managed to get in footholds, even acceptance in some communities depending on the location, but it was limited and slow to spread. ‘Gentrification’ had taken on a whole new meaning, and a lot of the people who would've been all for its previous form were staunchly against it. Fae weren’t meant to be here.

Ahiru hated to admit it, but her mother seemed to have sided with those people, even more now given their housing situation. Their family rented an attached townhouse in a large complex that bordered a plot of undeveloped land that was literally in their backyard, separated from them by a wall that really wasn’t that high. Nothing had been done with it for years, but now it’d been bought by a fae-owned company that wanted to build apartments there. Everyone seemed to think it was likely to get occupied mostly by other fae, and that was making people nervous, to say the least. It was a mess.

No time to dwell on it now, though. Ahiru shook herself out of her thoughts, finished eating, and after cleaning up, headed back upstairs to her room. Light was peeking out from inside when she got there and she frowned. “Malen?” She pushed the door open. “Is everything okay?”

“What? Oh, yes.” Malen looked over from her open book and smiled from where she sat upright in bed. “Don’t worry. I just… woke up, and checked the time, and thought I might as well just stay up. I wanted to say bye before you left, anyway, and I know you need to see in here to get dressed.”

“Don’t be silly, I don’t need the light on to do that. Go ahead and go back to sleep.” Ahiru crossed the room and turned off Malen’s lamp. “I’ll be fine.”

“You’re the one being silly.” Malen reached back over and turned the light back on. “I told you, it’s fine, I have my book. Just get dressed, you’re wasting time.”

“Only cause you’re being stubborn!” Ahiru folded her arms. “Come on, just go back to sleep, I’ll be _fine!_ ”

“ _I’m_ being stubborn? Right.” Malen rolled her eyes. “But whatever, if you insist…” She marked her place in the book and turned the light back off.

“About time.” Ahiru stuck her tongue out, even though Malen couldn’t see her. “Anyway, I’m gonna—waaaaaah!”

Malen turned the light on again, illuminating Ahiru where she lay sprawled on the floor, having tripped over a book on her way to the closet. She hadn’t even made it past their beds. “ _Told_ you so,” she said with a laugh.

“Oh, shut it, you,” Ahiru grumbled as she got up, which got another laugh from her sister. “How’d you sleep last night, anyway? The new meds still working better?”

“Yeah, much better.” Malen yawned. “I don’t think my sleeping schedule will ever be ideal, but it’s gotten better with this prescription and I think I’m sleeping deeper or something too. Weird-ass dreams, though.”

“Like what?” Ahiru zipped her pants up and then pulled her uniform shirt over her head.

“Well, there was one last night that involved being forced to marry a cat, but I don’t remember any details about it anymore. You know how it is.” Malen adjusted her glasses. “Hey, you gonna be alright walking to work? I took a peek out the window and it looks like it’s gonna rain.”

“Yeah, Mom asked me about that too, but I’ll be fine, don’t worry.” Ahiru slipped her socks on and grabbed her purse. “And it’s not like I really have a choice, you know? It’s too close to bother taking the bus, and Dad’s at work so I can’t ask for a ride. Anyway, I gotta go do my hair and stuff and get going, so I’ll see you later. ”

“Yeah, yeah.” Malen opened her book up again and waved her hand in the direction of the door. “See you.”

Once she’d stuffed her lengthy hair into a messy bun and done everything else she needed to, Ahiru hurried back downstairs. She got her lunch from the fridge, shrugged her jacket on, and then made her way to the front door. As usual she had to sort through a pile of shoes to find her own, the heap made only a little smaller by her mother and father having left the house already. Only Malen’s weren’t lost in the confusion, sitting quite apart from the rest and lacking the mud splatters everyone else’s had. Ahiru tied her laces in a hurry after nearly putting the right shoe on her left foot and vice versa. Then she pulled her hood up, and headed outside to truly begin the day.

True to her mother and sister’s warnings, a fine, cold mist began to descend from the pewter skies just after she locked the door and started down the street. It seemed to hang in the air like tiny silver beads, and reminded her of the curtain Pike and Lilie used to have as a divider in their bedroom. She shivered as the wind blew again, rattling the anti-fae wards that hung from nearly every porch in the Lakeshore Village townhome complex. They looked like cruel versions of wind chimes: twisted, spindly lengths of iron ending in sharp points, attached to wires suspended from a spiky iron ring that got hung on a hook hammered into the brown stucco. Ahiru was glad that her father always overrode her mother’s desire to get one for their house too. She made her way through the neighborhood and out onto the road that would take her to the café where she worked, The Buzz. A few cars zipped past her as she walked, but luckily there weren’t any puddles big enough for them to drench her with.

A sudden burst of light in the gloom caught her eye, and she turned to see the windows of Madam Mallow’s Enchanted Sweets all aglow, clearly being prepped by the employees to open for the day. The owner, Madam Mallow herself, had first set up shop here five years ago and, despite the prevailing local skepticism, had managed not only to stay afloat but do booming business as well. Somehow the old warnings about ingesting fairy food were easier to ignore when it came to sugary treats.

Fairy markets had once been furtive, clandestine things, conducted at midnight in abandoned warehouses, remote fields, condemned houses—wherever they could find that would work. Now they were becoming as commonplace as Trader Joe’s, popping up all over the place where there was room, each focusing on a specific type of item. Curio and jewelry stores were the most common, along with clothing, and spell shops were rising in popularity too, particularly among younger people. For a price, you could temporarily access a bit of the power that the fae commanded. Most were some kind of illusion magic, and naturally the glamours that let you change your appearance for a short time were the top sellers. In general, though, fae-run businesses were as varied when it came to success as they were in the types of merchandise they offered. Whether a store flourished or failed depended entirely on the demands and tolerance levels of the local populace, because everything they sold was always top-notch. Or so she’d heard, anyway—Madam Mallow’s was the only fae shop Ahiru had ever actually visited. Others were too far away or, in the usual case, too expensive to even consider going inside. Her mother’s wariness of many of the establishments didn’t help either, and her father and Malen were the only ones who even knew she’d bought candy from Madam Mallow. Her mother wasn’t liable to react well, and Pike and Lilie took too much after her in terms of their own attitudes towards fae. Even if they didn’t, Lilie couldn’t keep a secret to save her life. But Malen, like Ahiru, had spent a lot of time with their father as a child. In contrast to his wife, Paulo had hung onto to an almost childlike fascination with the fae even after they were confirmed to be real, and had passed it on to both his oldest and youngest daughters. So whenever Ahiru made a trip to Madam Mallow’s, she always got a little something for her father and sister too, as a secret treat that they hid from the rest of the family. Maybe she’d stop in on her way home if her tips were really good.

It took Ahiru a little over ten minutes, almost fifteen, to get to the Buzz. By then the rain was coming down a little harder, and her shivering had intensified. Her coat was waterproof, yes, but the lining wasn’t that thick, and it was old and worn besides—she’d inherited it from Malen before she started her freshman year of high school, and she’d graduated over a year ago now. The only reason it still fit was because she hadn’t grown at all since middle school, and Malen was taller than her anyway, so it would forever be just a bit too big. Which was a blessing and a curse. She could still get use out of it because of her small size and not have to pay for another, which was nice, but at the same time it was wearing so thin that she wished she _could_ justify buying another, no matter the cost. But she’d have to have a big growth spurt, and at nineteen she’d finally given up hope on that end. The only other option was to severely damage the coat beyond repair. How, though? Ahiru pondered it. Maybe she could climb a tree and get it ripped to shreds by all the branches? Bad idea. She could get seriously hurt by doing that, especially if she fell. Fire could be ruled out too, for the same reason. And she wasn’t allowed to wear it over her uniform at work, so coffee and food spills and the like weren’t an option either. No, she’d have to just suck it up and deal.

At least it was nice and warm here at work. Various food smells mingled in the air, and the chatter of customers and clinking of silverware against plates drowned out the traffic noises from outside. Ahiru headed past it all to the back room, where she hung up her jacket, put her lunch bag in the fridge, and clocked in.

Just as she was checking the chart to see what tables she’d been assigned to, someone tapped her on the shoulder. “Hey, Ahiru?”

Ahiru turned to see Dylan, one her coworkers, standing there. He still looked like a high schooler, despite being a year her senior. “Yeah? What is it?”

“Nothing much, just—Ms. Geiszler asked me to tell you that your side work today is to maintain the salad bar.” He tugged at the collar of his shirt while the fingers of his other hand drummed a nervous rhythm against his leg. “It’s probably gonna need some refilling and cleaning soon, so you should check that when you can.”

“Okay, sure.” Ahiru frowned. “Is everything okay?”

“Uh, well…” His eyes darted around the room before he leaned in closer and lowered his already soft voice. “Okay, you didn’t hear this from me, but Ms. Geiszler’s in a really baaaaaaad mood this morning. I’d try to steer clear of her if you can.”

“Er, okay.” Ahiru swallowed. “Any idea why she’s cranky?”

“Nope.” He shook his head. “Just keep your head down and don’t give her an excuse to yell at you. Look, I gotta get back out there, okay? And you should too.”

“Okay, okay, I will, thanks for warning me.” Ahiru snatched an apron off a nearby hook, took one last glance at the chart, and hurried after Dylan. The salad bar would be okay for now, so she darted over to a couple that had just been seated in her area. She took both girls’ orders, and headed off to the kitchen to turn them in.

As she tried to tear off the paper so she could hang it by the other orders that were already there, though, the pad and pen alike slipped out of her small hands and clattered onto the counter. There was a thump behind the counter, accompanied by a small wail. “Ahhh! Shit!”

Ahiru knew that voice well enough. It was Juan, one of the cooks, recoiling as if a gun had gone off. She peered over the counter to find him rubbing at his arms and jutting his lower lip. “Don’t scare me like that, Ahiru!”

“Oh, um, sorry.” Ahiru retrieved her pad and hung up the order, and then grabbed her pen. She didn’t bother mentioning that Juan had once nearly jumped through the window because a fly came at him. “Just a little clumsy this morning, sorry.”

“Nah, it’s cool, just be more careful.” He wiped at his forehead with the back of his hand. “Dropping off another order?”

“Yeah, and I might as well get some more tomatoes and bacon for the salad bar while I’m here.” Ahiru stuck the notepad and pen in her apron pocket. “You got some ready?”

“Yeah, all ready to go, just grab it and go refill it. Don’t let anything get empty.” He leaned forward to peer at the slip of paper she’d just hung up. “And make it quick.”

“I will, I will, I’m going.” Ahiru snatched up the containers of freshly chopped tomatoes and crumbled bacon, and carried them quickly yet carefully back to the salad bar. It would _not_ do to spill them all over the floor.

Between keeping an eye on the salad bar and cleaning and restocking it as necessary as well as doing her best to be as attentive and cheerful with her customers as possible, Ahiru was run rather ragged by the middle of the day. It got results in the form of everyone she waited on being generous with their tips, but the stress of trying to be perfect and not attract unwelcome managerial attention wore on her as the hours went by. To the point that the lull that set in between breakfast and the lunch rush was a staggering relief. She took the chance to breathe a little easier and focused on making the salad bar perfect and wiping down the empty tables and seats to get them extra-clean. All too soon, though, people began to pile in again, and the hostess seated many of them in Ahiru’s territory. Not only that, but Dylan was finishing up his break still, so she had to cover some of his area. There were only ten or so minutes left before he had to be back, but it might as well have been an hour.

At long last, though, it passed, and Dylan rushed up to her side, still retying his apron. “Hey, I’m here,” he said in a low voice, sounding strung-out despite that he was coming back from a break. “Who’ve I got? How bad is it?”

“Not too bad, just a few people so far.” Ahiru gestured with her notepad at the tables in his section. “See?”

“Yeah, I see—hold on.” Dylan squinted. “That one person in the hat over there, are they even human?”

“Huh?” Ahiru looked at where he was pointing. “Um, I dunno, they’re in Anita’s section. What makes you think they’re not human?”

“Cause of the hat, duh.” He rolled his eyes. “It looks like they could be trying to hide something, you know? I saw someone like that at the mall last weekend. Course, I was there to buy a glamour at Fata Morgana to prank my brother with, so I’ve got no room to talk.” He grinned.

“I guess.” Ahiru looked away so the person in question of being a person wouldn’t think she was staring. “What’s the big deal if it is?”

“It’s just not something we need today.” He shuddered. “Anyway, I better go check in on those guys in the booth over there, see if they need a refill. Do I need to take any orders?”

Ahiru shook her head. “No, I already turned everything into the kitchen, just check them when you get the chance.”

“Alright, thanks!” Dylan scurried away.

Ahiru went back to waiting on her own customers. By now her stomach was growling insistently at her, begging to be fed. Unfortunately, it was still too busy yet to hope for a break. So she ignored it as best she could and put her biggest smile on for the benefit of all the hungry people who _were_ getting to eat.

An eternity later, there was enough of a lull that she got to go back to the salad bar, refill everything that was getting low, and then clean where it needed it. Just as she finished wiping it down, Ms. Geiszler strode up to her. The sound of her heels clacking on the tiles made her cringe, and she braced herself. Ms. Geiszler was usually friendly enough, if a bit strict, and when she was in a bad mood it was a good idea to try not to make it any worse, unless you were a masochist who _wanted_ to get your head bitten off. Her temper seemed to have become even shorter over the past several months, too, and Ahiru never knew if she was approaching her to tell her to take a break or to tell her off for some transgression she hadn’t known she’d committed.

“Ahiru, you can take your break now, I’ve told Dylan to cover your section for you.” Ahiru looked up at her, and would’ve let her breath out in relief if Ms. Geiszler hadn’t kept talking. “But come to the office when you’re done, all right?”

“Huh?” Ahiru frowned. “Am—am I in trouble? Did a customer complain about me?”

“No, there haven’t been any complaints.” Ms. Geiszler shook her head. “Just go have your lunch, and come see me when you’re finished, okay? We’ll talk then.”

Ahiru opened her mouth to ask another question, but by then Ms. Geiszler was already on her way back to the manager’s office. How she was supposed to eat anything with _that_ hanging over her head she didn’t know, but Ahiru set down the coffee pot and went back to the break room. She retrieved her food from the fridge and sat down at the scratched-up table. There was a small hole in it, and someone had written “fuck this” on one side, and “place” on the other. Despite her anxious mood, she laughed a little even while rolling her eyes at the recent vandalism that joined ten years’ worth at least that came before it, most having faded away until only select words or pieces of crudely sketched anatomy remained.

Her amusement only lasted a few seconds, though. There was always something less appetizing about any meal when you were worried about something, and the same held true now for her lunch. Ahiru picked at it half-heartedly. Why did people always do this? Didn’t they know or remember what it was like on the other end of these things? It seemed that way. As if everyone who got promoted to a managerial position had a spell cast on them to make them forget what it was like to be a mere peon. Did those kind of spells even exist? She didn’t know, but if they did it’d certainly explain a lot.

At the end of the allotted half-hour, Ahiru had still barely eaten. She stuffed the rest of the sandwich and chips back into her bag so she could finish them tomorrow—wasting food was not an option in her family—and then cleaned up and headed to the manager’s office.

“Ms. Geiszler?” Even though the door had been left ajar, Ahiru still knocked on it. “It—it’s me, Ahiru… you wanted to see me?”

“Yes. Come in, Ahiru.” Ms. Geiszler looked up from her computer as Ahiru all but tip-toed in, trying not to wince at how loud her footsteps sounded in the drab little room lit only by a flickering fluorescent light that hung from the water-damaged ceiling. “Thank you. And close the door behind you, please?”

“S-sure.” She shut the door. “S-so, um… what did you want to talk to me about?”

“Sit down first.” She waved a hand to indicate the two chairs that were positioned crookedly in front of the desk, the motion making the chunky bracelet she was wearing jangle a little. Her stomach churning, Ahiru sank into one of them. Ms. Geiszler sighed. “Ahiru, I—well, you know things have been slower around here for a while now, right?”

“Huh? Y-yeah.” Ahiru frowned and nodded.  “I mean, I guess… some days are busier than others, you know?”

“True enough.” She shrugged. “But in general, things have definitely gone down over the past six months. Ever since that damned fae-run café opened up across town. And to be fair, we all expected that that would happen at first. People have to go try out something new, you know? Especially since before then there weren’t many local options for seeing those creatures in action.” She fiddled with the bracelet on her wrist, which Ahiru now noticed was made of iron and had little spikes in the center of each rectangular piece. Was that new? She didn’t remember Ms. Geiszler having it before. Iron earrings, yes, but now she’d added a matching bracelet. “We figured it’d attract attention and leech some customers away for a _little_ while, but eventually the novelty would wear off and things would go back to normal. But the thing is, it _hasn’t_ gone back to normal. People are _still_ flocking to that place and leaving this one in the dust. I can’t understand it—maybe there’s more of those things than we know of lurking in this town, passing as real people.” She sighed, the kind of sigh Ahiru’s mother tended to give when thinking about ‘the old days’, and rubbed at her arms. “The point is, though, that this place isn’t pulling in the money it used to, and the owners have decided that if we’re going to stay in business some cuts have to be made. And I’m really sorry about this, Ahiru, but that includes you.”

It was strange, the effect those words had. Ahiru suddenly felt as though she were standing outside of herself, suspended in space high above the planet, and watching the scene play out from a great distance. When she finally managed to speak, she heard her own voice as if from far away. “You’re… you’re firing me?”

“We’re letting you go,” Ms. Geiszler corrected her. “Laying you off. Whatever term you think will look better when you apply to your next job.” She waved her hand again, the bracelet catching some of the overhead light and glinting dully. “Look, Ahiru, this isn’t personal. I like you. You’re a good worker. But the simple truth is that we just can’t afford to keep everyone on anymore. Even cutting people’s hours hasn’t helped as much as we’d hoped it would.”

Specks. That’s all the two of them were—two tiny specks on the ground, miles and miles away. She shouldn’t have been able to hear every word out of Ms. Geiszler’s mouth so clearly, but despite all logic she could. Ahiru felt herself nodding. “I–I understand.” It was all she felt. Everything else seemed to have gone numb.

“I appreciate it. And I really am sorry, Ahiru.” Ms. Geiszler seemed to mean it. Maybe. “Go ahead and finish your shift, and then come back next week for your last paycheck. All right?”

“Okay.” Ahiru made herself nod again, and somehow managed to rise to her feet despite feeling like a giant had slumbered atop her whole body and made all her limbs fall asleep, instead of merely crushing her to death. That might have been more merciful. “I… um… th-thank you for… for… for being nice about it…”

“You’re welcome. And take care, Ahiru—good luck finding another job.” So saying, Ms. Geiszler turned her attention back to whatever was on her computer.

Ahiru hesitated for a moment. There seemed to be more she wanted to say, or perhaps something she thought she _should_ say, but it all seemed to have flown out of her head. She wound up just shaking her head slightly and pushing the chair back so she could leave the room quickly and quietly. It no longer felt, in any way, like a place she ought to be.

Things like _this isn’t fair_ and _why me?_ floated to the top of her mind. There had to be a reason they’d picked her to let go. There had to be. Was it because she’d only been there about a year? No, Dylan had been hired only a couple weeks before her, he didn’t have _that_ much seniority. Anita, too, only had a month or so more experience than she did. Why did they get to stay? What made them so much better? A prickle of mingled despair and resentment jabbed at her heart. Did management just like them more for some arbitrary reason? She almost wished she’d asked.

No. No, that would’ve been a bad idea, and wouldn’t have helped the situation at all. Her job was gone, and behaving childishly about it to Ms. Geiszler wouldn’t have saved it. Resenting the others didn’t help either, it didn’t change things and it was so petty anyway. Shame bubbled up in her. She needed to just get through the rest of her shift and then focus on doing some online applications tonight, not waste her energy on what-might-have-beens and why-not-thems. So she mustered up her best impression of someone having a good day and headed back out there. She could mope about her situation later.

The rest of her shift went by in a haze. Ahiru moved around the café like a zombie, faking smiles that didn’t reach her eyes while she took orders and served food and refilled drinks. Dylan noticed when she came to tell him that she was back from her break that something was wrong and tried to ask her about it, but Ahiru babbled out a polite brush-off and rushed over to a table that looked like it needed extra napkins and more coffee. And so, by and by, the afternoon stretched on and eventually passed, and, before Ahiru knew it, the time for her to leave had come.

It wasn’t until she started walking home that the façade cracked and the tears started slipping out. By now the rain had long since stopped, and the setting sun was shining out from among the dregs of the clouds and reflecting off still puddles. Somehow, that made it worse–now she couldn’t even hide behind her hood and pretend her face was wet because of the weather. She pulled her hood up anyway in an attempt to conceal her crying and avoid any stares sent her way. About halfway home, someone in a mud-splattered SUV roared past her through a particularly large puddle, drenching her in dirty water. She couldn’t muster up any annoyance. At least it provided an excuse for her damp cheeks.

What was she going to _do?_ How was she going to tell her family? If she didn’t find a new job soon, she’d have to dip into her savings account to help cover expenses. The money she was slowly accruing there was meant to be used to eventually pay for her college education. She had a whole timeline worked out and everything, based on depositing a certain percentage of her tip money every month, and so far she’d been sticking to it pretty well. Taking money back out would seriously derail that. If it came down to it, though, she had to be willing to let her dreams be delayed a little longer for everyone else’s sake. Her family’s survival had to come first. She couldn’t be selfish. But it didn’t mean she couldn’t feel crushed about it.

Her heart heavy with resignation, Ahiru kept walking. In her distracted state she wasn’t paying that much attention to where her feet went, though, and she nearly tripped when she trod on one of her own shoelaces that had come loose at some point. She managed to keep from falling, but her shoe came completely untied and she had to kneel down and retie it.

Just as she finished, though, her scalp prickled and a chill went down her spine. Ahiru’s fingers froze on the laces, and her breath caught in her throat. It felt like someone’s eyes were on her, zeroing in. Just like when people in school would point at her hand-me-down clothes and whisper jokes to each other, but far more intense. Now her fingers began to tremble, tangled in her laces. Far more intense, and far more frightening. But staying kneeling on the sidewalk wouldn’t do any good. Feeling a bit like she was looking over at an open closet door in the middle of the night, she steeled herself and glanced to both sides, searching for whoever was staring.

Nothing. Had she been imagining it, then? She shook herself and stood up, and surveyed everything a second time. No, there was no one around paying the slightest bit of attention to her. Must’ve just been a cold breeze or something. It had to be.

On her third check of her surroundings, she finally did notice something: she was outside the shopping center where Madam Mallow’s was. Ahiru took a deep breath to steady herself and started walking in that direction. She knew she shouldn’t be spending money on frivolous things when she’d just lost her job, but she’d done really well with her tips today and she deserved a little treat. Especially something that might take the edge off said job loss. So she wiped her cheeks dry and headed inside.

A little bell attached to the door clanged as she walked in, drawing the attention of the fae clerks behind the counter. They looked over at her, and their expressions changed lightning-fast from wary to blank. Ahiru belatedly realized that her hood was still up, and she pulled it down self-consciously. No reason to give them more cause to be nervous around her, especially since she didn’t blame them for it. She gave them a small smile and then moved over to the bulk bins, ignoring the pair of human teenagers loitering around the fudge counter. Her first instinct, in the absence of a hood to better conceal her face, was to keep her head down so that no one could see she’d been crying, but that plan was rendered moot by the tiny sprite children wandering through the aisles, even smaller than she was. Ahiru did her best to avoid them, going in the opposite direction and pretending to be extremely interested in reading nutritional labels while also trying to choose what to buy today.

Jelly beans, she decided eventually. Definitely jelly beans. They were her favorite, and Malen and her father loved them too. Fairy-made jelly beans came in a variety of flavors, similar to Jelly Bellies, but were even better. They tasted more intense, closer to the foods they were mimicking. It’d been awhile since she had any, and she looked forward to eating a few after dinner. At least it was _something_ to look forward to tonight. So she grabbed three little cellophane bags, filled each one with a nice variety of flavors that they all liked, and walked back to the counter to pay.

“Will that be all for today?” The tall, chubby wood nymph behind the counter peered anxiously down at her. “Did you find everything you were looking for?”

“Yeah, I did.” Ahiru nodded and, despite feeling a little tired from crying, managed a smile. “Everything in here is great. You have a really good selection.”

“We try.” The nymph relaxed a little, and smiled back. It still had that look, though–the look of someone trying to be nice and inoffensive to customers while also repressing something heavy hanging on their mind. Ahiru certainly knew what _that_ felt like. It’d been her entire afternoon. “I’ll just ring that up for you, then.”

The nymph then weighed the bags and informed Ahiru of her total, and Ahiru paid for it with the cash she had on hand from her tips. She declined the offer of a plastic bag to carry her purchases in, and simply stuffed the candy into her lunch bag before heading out the door.

The feeling of being watched was all but forgotten in the face of the small joy of her purchase, and she soon enough found another distraction. Just past Madam Mallow’s she had to cross the street, and while she waited for the crosswalk to be safe she glanced down the road and caught a glimpse of the shabby old neighborhood it held. It’d been that way for years, full of houses in various states of disrepair, with peeling paint and overgrown yards and wooden fences that leaned and swayed in the wind, stained with who knows what. The potholes littering the asphalt looked to still be there too, and there was fresh graffiti on the sidewalk and trash in the gutters. Overall, it was no one’s idea of a lovely place to live. Except for Malen.  She’d seen some kind of beauty in it, and before the onset of her chronic fatigue had made several trips over there to sketch it in all its ruined, rundown glory. Nowadays she no longer had the energy to anything like that. Ahiru missed going on little adventures with her, enough that she found herself brought to tears again, just from thinking about all the things they could no longer do. It had been years now since the two of them had set foot in that neighborhood, and now all the rumors said that the place was overrun by fairies. But maybe that was why Malen had loved it so much in the first place.

Before she got too close to home, Ahiru paused to try and erase the evidence that she’d been crying. Ahiru wasn’t sure if she was ready to tell her family right away about what had happened, and certainly didn’t know how to, so it was better to pretend everything was fine for now and bring it up later once she’d gathered her thoughts and assembled some sentences. Sniffling, she dug some crumpled tissues out of her jacket pocket and began to mop away at her face, taking deep, shaky breaths to try and quell more tears. Only when she was done did she realize: she’d stopped under the pixie tree.

It had always been called that, even back when people thought pixies were just make-believe. The tree grew odd and crooked in between crumbling concrete buildings, where nothing should have been able to sprout. Yet the tree flourished, green and bright with large blossoms every summer, and had once been beset with children almost every day climbing the branches and searching for the tree’s inhabitants, leaving offerings and decorating the branches with daisy chains and strung beads. Now, over a decade after the fae had chosen to reveal themselves, the tree that had once been a magical destination for anyone under ten had fallen into neglect. Trash littered the ground around it and the trunk had been defiled by carved out obscenities and orders for the fae to just disappear again. However, for Ahiru, the tree still held all the wonder it had when she was young. She had vivid memories of coming here with her father and Malen, leaving little bits of food for the pixies, especially sweets. If she thought hard about it, she could hear her father’s voice telling her all about how pixies adored candy, and that leaving them a bit of dessert would win their favor. Maybe it was just a legend to make children eat less sugar, but she still believed in it, and she knew he had too. Seeing such a precious part of her childhood memories so scarred jarred her heart, and made her wish she could erase it all and carve her love into the wood instead, each beautiful memory she held of climbing up amongst the branches and believing she could hear the pixies singing if she listened hard enough, of hearing her father’s stories as he braided blossoms into her hair and Malen leaned against the trunk, listening and sketching all at once. Ahiru took a few steps forward and laid her fingers upon the trunk, thumb brushing against a gouged out letter, part of the phrase ‘fuck off fae’ that must have been relatively new. She hadn’t noticed it last time.

Maybe she couldn’t erase the damage, but she could leave them something to let them know that not everyone wanted them to go away, that there was at least one person who’d like them to stay.

“I bet you’re all hungry,” Ahiru said aloud, directing her voice to the large knothole a foot or two above her head. Most of the leaves had gone brown and fallen off by now, so that hole was the only place the little fae could hide from prying human eyes. “I can help with that!”

She pulled her lunch bag around to the front of her and unzipped it. If candy really was what they liked best, then candy was what she’d give them. Ahiru kept watch on the knothole out of the corner of her eye, but there was no visible movement even when she pulled open the cellophane bag with her share of the jelly beans in them. Fair enough. She couldn’t blame them for being cautious. She reached in, took a generous handful of beans, and laid them on a leaf nestled between two of the roots that were starting to break up the sidewalk. “There you go! Enjoy!”

Cheered ever so slightly by the thought of helping the little pixies, Ahiru wrapped the twist tie back around the bag and redid it. But just as she zipped her lunch bag closed she froze. There it was again—the sensation that she was being watched. Heart in her throat, Ahiru whipped her head around, searching frantically for anything or anyone that might have given her that feeling. Something white in the trees across the street caught her eye, but when she looked over it was just a plastic bag from a grocery store, caught in a branch. She took a deep breath. Just her imagination. It was just her imagination. That’s all it was. She was on edge already from being fired, and her mind was playing tricks on her. Nothing more.

Pushing it out of her mind, she kept going. Her mother should be home by now, and all her sisters would be too. Pike’s shift at the supermarket would’ve ended already, Lilie didn’t have to be there till six, and Malen was always home. Their father should be getting back now too, just in time for dinner. Maybe later that night she’d break the bad news? Lilie wouldn’t be there to give her usual overdramatic reaction as she didn’t get off work till ten, so that would make it slightly easier.

When she got inside, Ahiru took off her shoes and coat and then headed to the kitchen to put away the remnants of her lunch. Her mother was stirring something on the stove, and Pike was sitting at the table, still in her uniform with an open soda can in front of her. “Hi Mom, Pike,” she greeted them.

“Hi,” Paulamoni said, turning her head and smiling at her. “You’re just in time, dinner will be ready soon. Tuna Helper okay?”

“Yeah, that’s fine.” Ahiru opened the fridge and stuck her lunch bag inside.

“So,” Pike took a long gulp from her soda. “How was your day?”

“It was…” Ahiru swallowed. “It was okay. Business as usual, you know.”

“No nightmare customers then?”

“Nope.” Ahiru shook her head. That, at least, wasn’t a lie.

“Lucky duck,” Pike grumbled. “I must’ve had some kind of jerk bait attached to my register today. Moron bait, too—you wouldn’t _believe_ some of these people. Well, okay, you probably would, but like… _ugh._ ” She rolled her eyes. “Like this one old lady, she has this package of sausage that’s more than one sausage in the package–you know what I’m talking about, right?” When Ahiru nodded, Pike went on. “But then she produces this coupon for a dollar off or whatever, I don’t remember the exact amount and don’t care, from three _packages_ of sausage, so I couldn’t ring it through. And then she blames me. I swear I lost a year off my lifespan trying to explain that one to her. And then she had ten zillion _other_ coupons and the line was practically backed up to the meat counter.” Pike dropped her head onto the table and groaned. “ _End me_.”

Ahiru made a sympathetic face, leaning against the fridge. “Ugh, I’m so sorry.” She meant it. At the same time, though, the gears were turning in her brain. Perhaps she could apply to the same store Pike and Lilie worked at? The pay would be more reliable than waiting tables, the store was within walking distance, and they could even laugh and commiserate about rude customers. Working overlapping shifts was a good prospect too, because it meant built-in friends and less loneliness. Yes. She’d apply there either tonight or tomorrow, and hopefully would get hired. Things would work out fine. She had to believe that. “That sucks.”

“It did,” Pike sighed. “Oh well, at least it’s over. Kinda jealous of Lilie for getting the evening shift, though. And on self-scan too! That’s the best, you barely have to deal with _anyone_ when you’re on self-scan this time of night…”

“That sounds nice.” And it really did—if she got the job there, maybe she’d ask to get trained to handle the self-scan registers. Not because she hated dealing with people in general, but somehow when people got transformed into customers they became something much more unpleasant. “Anyway, though, I’m gonna go change, I got splashed by a car on the way home… tell me more later!”

“Yeah, later,” Pike called after her.

As she climbed the stairs, Ahiru noticed that Lilie was taking a shower. The sound of running water would’ve been a pretty obvious clue, if it hadn’t been almost drowned out by the noise of wildly off-key singing. Ahiru winced, yet a giggle still escaped her. Pike was always yelling at Lilie to stop her so-called ‘glass-shattering singing’, yet it never worked. No wonder Pike was hanging out in the kitchen.

As it had been this morning, the light was on in their room. Ahiru drew a slow, deep breath before putting her hand on the door knob. Every time she came home, a part of her was afraid she would find Malen on the floor again, having suffered another of the epileptic seizures that had plagued her since she were little. They happened less often now, but it was still a fear that lurked at the back of Ahiru’s mind whenever she left her sister alone. It was also why, when they’d applied to the supermarket, Pike and Lilie had coordinated the hours they each listed for their availability, so that no matter what, someone would always be at home with Malen in case of emergency.

To Ahiru’s relief Malen was sitting on her bed, fully dressed now and drawing something on the tablet their grandparents had bought for her last birthday a few months ago. She looked up and smiled as Ahiru entered. “Hey, welcome home. How was work?”

“It was good!” Ahiru plastered a fake smile on her face. “No bad customers or anything, and I got some good tips… how was your day?”

“It was pretty good, I had a bit of a headache in the morning, but then I took a nap and now I’m fine.” Malen tilted her head and frowned. “Is everything okay?”

“What? Yeah, of course it is, why wouldn’t it be?” Ahiru turned away and dumped her purse on her bed.

“I dunno. You just seem kinda… off.”

“I’m fine.” Ahiru tucked some loose hair behind her ear. “Just a little tired, maybe, but that’s it.”

“Oh. Yeah, that makes sense.” Malen’s hand stopped moving and she sighed. “You’re always working so hard, while I just lie around here being useless all day…”

It was a guilt that Ahiru knew Malen always carried with her. Some days were worse than others, especially the days that Malen was feeling well. As if she should be able to get out of bed and get a job like everyone else in the family, even when everyone knew that wasn’t a possibility. Ahiru watched Malen’s shoulders droop and crossed the room in three quick steps, “Don’t say that,” Ahiru murmured, folding her sister in her arms and resting her chin atop Malen’s head. “You’re not useless.”

“Yes, I am.” Her voice shook. “I just sit around doing nothing, draining away at the money you all work so hard to make, with my doctor’s appointments and hospital bills and expensive prescriptions…”

“That’s not your fault.” Ahiru hugged her tighter. “You didn’t choose to be sick. You can’t help it.”

“Maybe not, but I still hate it.” She sounded close to tears. “And just cause I can’t help it doesn’t make it any less of a burden on you all. Plus, what’s gonna happen next year when I age out of Mom and Dad’s insurance?”

“I don’t know.” Ahiru stroked her hair. “I don’t know. But we’ll get through it, we’ll find a way to make it work. I promise. We’re all in this together.”

“That’s why I hate it.” Malen sniffled. Some days, it seemed all Malen could think about was her illness, until she’d had hours upon hours trapped in her bed to work up her self-loathing. “The rest of you shouldn’t be suffering like this just to pull dead weight like me along.”

“Stop it!” Ahiru pulled back to look at her, and took her sister’s face in her hands, skin pale from months without direct sun. “Listen to me, okay? You’re not a burden. You’re not dead weight. You’re a part of this family and we all love you. And you deserve our support. You _matter_. Your life is just as important as ours, so you shouldn’t ever think horrible things about yourself like that. None of us see you that way. You know that.”

“It’s hard.” Malen wiped at her eyes and pulled her face from Ahiru’s grip. “It’s hard not to see myself that way, especially when I watch all of you struggling so much to pay the bills and the rent and for all my expenses, when I’m unable to contribute. Especially you—you’ve been working since you were sixteen, and I know you always dreamed of going to college. Don’t you ever resent me for taking that away from you?”

“No, I don’t.” Ahiru shook her head. “Cause you haven’t taken anything away from me. Really! I’m saving up my money every month, you know that—I’ll get to college eventually. Later than other people, yeah, but isn’t later better than never? Or… better late than never. Whatever.” She wrinkled her nose, trying to lift the mood. She perched on the edge of Malen’s bed and reached out to squeeze her hand. “But it’s not your fault. And I know it’s hard for you, but please try. Please please please try to be nicer to yourself. I don’t wanna see you be miserable and hating yourself all the time.”

Malen sniffed and wiped at her eyes again. “I’m your older sister. I should be taking care of _you_. Not the other way around.”

“Malen…”

“Okay, okay, I’ll try to be nicer.” Malen took a deep breath and let it out. “But I can’t make you any promises.”

“Just keep trying. That’s what matters to me.” Ahiru smiled and leaned closer to her sister. “Now, show me what you’re drawing!”

“Yeah, sure.” Malen turned her laptop so that Ahiru could see the picture taking shape. It was of a crow, perched atop a melting snowman beneath a bare tree. “I know it’s silly, but I just had the image in my head, and I thought I might as well draw it.”

“It’s not silly.” Ahiru put her arm around Malen’s waist and rested her head on Malen’s shoulder. Here, it was so easy to forget everything awful that had happened that day. “I really like it! You always make everything feel so real.” She squinted closer, studying the careful lines of the crow’s wings and the crooked shape of the tree, oddly captivating. “Are you gonna color this one?”

“I don’t know.” Malen picked up her stylus and added a few lines to one of the tree’s branches. “I might just leave it black and white, it seems to work with a starker scheme like that… but adding some grey shading might work too, I don’t know…”

“Well, you can always save two copies and try different things on each one, right?” Ahiru sat back up and watched her sister work. “That way, if you don’t like how it comes out one way, you have it another way too, and you could post both on your blog and see what other people think.”

“That’s a good idea.” Malen looked away from the screen so she could give Ahiru another warm smile. “Thanks.”

“Sure!” Ahiru peered at the picture again, at the tree that continued to catch her eye. Then she realized. “Oh, hey, you know what? That tree kinda reminds me of the way the ones in the Enchanted Forest look during the winter.”

“Huh? Oh, yeah, you’re right! Wow, I didn’t even realize till now.” Malen laughed. “Must’ve been subconscious—we spent so much time running around there when we were little that the image got burned into my brain or something.”

“Yeah, that makes sense.” Ahiru cast a wistful look out the window. Their bedroom had a good view of the place they’d dubbed the ‘Enchanted Forest’: the undeveloped land behind Lakeshore Village that was due to be turned into fairy housing. “Kinda sad it’s going away now.”

“Right?” Malen glanced over her shoulder at the window too. “I know it’s important to have more housing and all, and it’s been years since we played there, but I’m still gonna miss it. So many good childhood memories, you know?”

“Yeah, same.” Ahiru turned away and started tugging on the hem of her shirt. “Anyway, I’m gonna change now.”

“Yeah, I don’t mind, I won’t look.” Malen returned her attention to her drawing.

Ahiru smiled sadly as she watched her sister’s delicate and pale hands clutch at the tablet and pen and begin work once more. After a moment, she sighed to herself and padded over to her side of the closet. After hemming and hawing, she chose a soft old shirt and a pair of sweatpants and changed into them. They were too big for her, but then, all her clothes were that way. The grand majority of her wardrobe was comprised of hand-me-downs, either from Malen or the twins, with a few pieces from her mother, and as she was the smallest member of the family nothing fit properly. Fae-made clothing wouldn’t have had that issue, as they had spells built into the fabric to make them automatically fit whoever put them on, but that had never really been an option for their family. For one thing, it hadn’t been available to humans long enough to be affordable for most people, and all the shops that sold it were too far away to justify the cost of gas even if they _could_ afford the clothes themselves. Besides, she couldn’t imagine her mother being too comfortable with them. So she had to settle for oversized, ill-fitting clothes and doing what she could to adjust them so that she didn’t trip over pant legs or anything like that. If it came down to it, she honestly couldn’t remember the last time she’d worn clothes that fit her the way they were supposed to, outside of her work uniform, or if she ever had at all.

Actually, what was she supposed to do with her uniform, anyway? Would they want it back, to save money? Ms. Geiszler hadn’t said anything about it, so maybe not. She’d have to ask when she went back for her last paycheck. She frowned at it before deciding to just throw it in the hamper, and then laid down on her unmade bed after picking up her old stuffed duck, Mr. Quackers, and hugging him to her chest.

So. She’d lost her job. And now she had to tell her family. Including Malen, who already felt guilty about how much money she cost the family and scared about what the future held. How could she possibly break the news to them that things had gotten even worse? Her stomach churned. Ahiru knew it wasn’t her fault that she’d been let go, but at the same time it was hard not to blame herself, just like Malen found it hard not to hate herself for her illnesses. True, The Buzz had been doing badly for reasons entirely unrelated to her, but at the same time—why her? Why had _she_ been the one picked for termination? Had she done something wrong? Was she just not as good at her job as everyone else working there? There had to be a reason behind picking her, specifically. It couldn’t just be random. So why? Even now that her shift was over she still didn’t understand it.

Then again, it didn’t matter if she understood it or not. It had happened, and there was no way of changing it now. All she could do was find a way to deal with it, and that included letting her family know. Oddly enough, it was the telling them about it part that felt like the bigger ordeal. Applying for a new job would probably be a pain, if only because of the inane personality test portion, but having to actually _talk_ about it was way scarier. Would her parents be disappointed? Would Malen spiral further into self-hate? Lilie was definitely going to be doom and gloom about it. Pike was a ‘tough love’ kind of person and could be pretty critical at times; would she poke and prod at Ahiru to try and think of reasons why she was the one chosen to be cut? Ahiru shuddered. She’d be trying to avoid her own tendency to do that, she didn’t need Pike worsening it.

What could she say? What _should_ she say? Well, for starters she should probably try to leave out the part about that fae-run café—she remembered now, it was called the Bean Sidhe—taking business away from the one she’d worked at until today. No need to make things any more uncomfortable than they already would be. She’d already decided to wait until after her father got back from driving Lilie to work, so that could be a way to start things off. Like, “Okay, I have to tell you all something, and it’s not good, so I waited till after Lilie was at work to bring it up, cause you know how she is with bad news, but anyway...” Yeah. That could work. It was something, at least. Now she just had to figure out where to go from there.

“Ahiru? Malen?” It was Paulamoni, calling up to them from the bottom of the stairs. “Dinner’s ready, come on!”

Ugh. So much for rehearsing her reveal. Oh well, maybe she could think of the rest while they ate, or at least when her dad was driving Lilie to the store. Ahiru suppressed a sigh and got up, setting Mr. Quackers safely atop her pillow before following Malen out of the room, unconsciously watching her sister’s steps on the stairs to make sure they were steady.

Everyone else was in the kitchen already when they got downstairs. Pike was still in her work shirt and jeans and had already served herself, as had Lilie, who’d joined them in a bathrobe and shower cap.

“Ah, smells good!” Paulo kissed Paulamoni on the cheek, and then smiled as Malen and Ahiru came in. “Hey, Ahiru. Have a good day at work?”

“Yep! And I’m really hungry from it!” She would eat more than she had at lunch. She _would_. “How was your day?”

“Same as usual.” He shrugged. “Nobody really interesting to deal with, not like you girls have to.”

“Oh, don’t get me started,” Pike said with a groan.

“Heh.” Paulo cast an amused glance at her as he piled tuna casserole onto his plate. “Wanna talk about it? Might take the edge off if you vent to us.”

“Oh, I’d _love_ it.” Pike grinned. “First of all, I already told Ahiru this one, but you gotta hear it too. So there’s this old lady…”

Ahiru tuned her out, more or less, as she served herself dinner and got a soda from the fridge. Pike largely dominated the conversation for a while, regaling them with tales of customers rude and clueless alike while they ate. Interspersed with her stories were comments from the others, particularly Lilie, who was only too happy to rub it in her face that she had an easier shift awaiting her tonight. Other than the mostly light-hearted sniping that went on between them, though, it was a very pleasant meal that managed to distract Ahiru from her misery.

“… and then this other lady, you won’t believe this—she had a coupon so old it didn’t even have a bar code to scan!” Pike gulped some more soda. “It was so bizarre! I could tell it wasn’t anything recent, I just… couldn’t believe anyone would hold onto something that long. Wouldn’t you use it by then?”

“Yeah, you’d think, wouldn’t you?” Paulamoni speared some tuna and a few noodles on her fork. “I honestly can’t remember the last time coupons like that existed.”

“My point exactly!” Pike snarfed down a big bite of casserole, and then let out a burp. “Oops, ‘scuse me…”

“My! How unladylike!” Lilie gave a dramatic sniff. “Your _manners_ , Pike!”

“Oh, get over it.” Pike rolled her eyes. “Don’t even act like you don’t have the same bodily functions as the rest of us.”

“I, at least, am more discreet, and–”

Ahiru kept quiet and focused on ignoring the anxiety in the pit of her stomach so that she could eat. She was more than happy to let Pike hog all the attention, she just hoped it wouldn’t suddenly turn to her. What if they wanted to hear stories from _her_ day? Sure, she probably had a few she could tell, but she doubted she could keep them all from noticing that something was definitely Wrong. And then her careful plan to keep it quiet until Lilie was absent would go to hell, and dinner would be ruined, and it would just… it would be a disaster. She had to hope that Pike and Lilie would remain occupied with making cracks at each other. They probably would. Paulo always said they came out of the womb arguing.

“Um… hey… Ahiru?” Malen nudged her. “Do me a favor, and…” She lowered her voice some more. “Look outside. Do you see that too?”

“What?” Paulamoni answered before Ahiru could, having heard Malen despite her efforts to keep quiet, and turned to look out the window. “What are you whispering ab…” Her fork slipped out of her hand and onto the floor with a loud clatter, scattering sauce and bits of tuna and broccoli as it hit. “Oh my God!”

“Hon? What’s the ma—” Paulo’s jaw dropped as he turned to see what had freaked Paulamoni out, and nearly fell on the floor in his effort to scoot his chair backwards, as if that would help somehow. “What the _hell?!_ ”

“Ahhhhh!” Lilie let out a little shriek, and clasped her hands to her cheeks. “We’re doomed! Oh! Pike, get me a phone, I have to call the store and tell them I can’t work because I’ve died of fright!”

“Oh, so you’ll be calling from beyond the grave, then?” But all the color had drained from Pike’s face, and she didn’t budge.  

“Oh… then it’s not just me, then…” Malen whispered, going as pale as the others.

“Huh? What’s going on?” Ahiru’s gaze traveled from one terrified member of her family to the next, suddenly completely aware of how she was the only one seated with her back to the door. “What are you all staring at?” She turned in her seat to look out the window, to try to understand what had frightened them all so much. And gasped.

It wasn’t something that could be missed. Even at night some things were terribly, terribly obvious. A person would’ve had to have serious visual impairment to miss what had invaded their backyard. It should’ve been an impossible sight, and for that very reason Ahiru’s brain didn’t quite believe her eyes at first. Which was an understandable reaction, really, for things like this weren’t seen every day. At least, not around here. Was it really there? For real? She found herself frozen in place, her eyes locked on what she shouldn’t be seeing and yet was, feeling like she’d found herself in a dream.

As backyards went, theirs wasn’t terribly big. Just a small old wooden deck with peeling paint, that creaked under your feet when you walked across it, and a strip of scraggly, weed-choked grass that Paulo mowed maybe three times a year. All of it was bordered on each side by stone walls that separated them from neighbors on both sides, and the Enchanted Forest. The walls were low enough that the girls had had little trouble climbing over it to reach said ‘forest’, though Ahiru had needed help as she’d always been rather tiny. Beyond the moldy old plastic chairs and table that were bunched up on the deck, right up against the house, their parents had never bothered to really do anything with the area, so it was mostly empty.

Which was a good thing for the gigantic polar bear that stood out there now, as it didn’t have to compete for space with kiddie pools and the like.

“Holy shit,” Pike breathed. She, like the rest of them, was still staring at the backyard in abject horror. “I didn’t even know bears like that lived around here…”

“They don’t.” Having recovered from the initial shock, Paulo rose to his feet. “I doubt it’s real. Probably just some bored teenager who bought an illusion spell at the mall and thinks it’s a good laugh to terrorize people.” He grabbed a pair of shoes that were sitting by the sliding glass door, and shoved them onto his feet. “Just wait here, I’ll go chase them off.”

“Dear, are you sure?” Paulamoni stood too, and put her hand on Paulo’s arm. “They might be dangerous!”

“I’ll be fine.” He laid his hand over hers and squeezed it. “It’s just some prankster. But if you’re really worried, I’ll take this.” Paulo walked over to the table by the door to the garage and picked up a large stick from behind it. Lilie had found it when she was much younger, and for a few years it’d been her weapon that she used to ‘slay’ the monsters that wandered the Enchanted Forest (what kind of beasts they were depended on what she felt like having her sisters pretend to be that day). It’d since passed beyond being her toy and into something they all used to scare wildlife out of the backyard as necessary. “I’ll be right back.”

So saying, he opened the back door and walked out towards the bear. Paulo was no short man at six feet tall, and the bear looked to be twice that height. Length? Ahiru wasn’t sure which term you were supposed to use. Either way it towered over her father, and she was pretty sure it was bigger than real ones were supposed to be.  She found herself studying it, looking for little signs that would give away that it was a cheap trick, literally. Weren’t there supposed to be glitches or sparkles or something? Some kind of imperfection around the edges that flesh and blood animals didn’t have. Ahiru found herself leaning forward, trying to get a better view from her vantage point.

And then the bear looked right at her.

It was a horrible revelation of a moment, seemingly frozen in time and space. Her breathing stilled as the bear locked eyes with her. The eyes blinked, but their gaze remained fixed on her. And as she stared back, Ahiru _knew_ , and she felt her stomach clench up.

This was no illusion. It was a real bear.

She opened her mouth, overwhelmed by the urge to scream, either for her father to turn around and come back in, or just to make a wordless shrieking noise. But her throat had seized up, and no sound would come out. Did the others see it? Had they realized? She glanced around frantically at them, hoping to see some sign that they’d come to the same conclusion. Paulamoni had closed the door behind Paulo and was now lingering there, watching. Lilie had her hands pressed to her mouth, and was making little whimpering sounds from behind her fingers; Pike had stuck her elbow into the last of her tuna casserole without realizing, distress evident on her face. Malen, meanwhile, was clutching her napkin so tightly that her knuckles were white. As scared as they all were, though, it was clear that they were still under the impression that it was a spell. If only she could speak, and warn them!

The most curious thing happened, though, as Paulo strode up to the bear. He stopped and stood in front of it, and brandished the stick menacingly as he shouted something about running off home and not playing pranks on honest people. In response the bear opened its mouth, and Ahiru instinctively cringed, expecting to hear a roar.

Instead, a sound came out, low and indistinct, but by the lilting of the sound and the way Paulo stumbled back a few steps in surprise, Ahiru knew what had happened. Perhaps she had known it would happen since the bear had fixed her with those dark, intelligent eyes. The bear had spoken.

Outside, her father recovered his bearings and lowered the stick a little as the bear continued to speak to him. Back inside, no one moved, but the confusion in the room was palpable nonetheless. Paulo and the bear seemed to converse a little bit more, and then Paulo turned around and came back to the house.

“Dear?” Paulamoni stepped back to allow him to reenter. “What’s going on? Why is that—whoever or whatever it is, why is it still here?”

“Well, it’s…” Paulo hesitated. “Okay, don’t freak out, but… it’s a real bear, and it–he–it–wants to speak to Ahiru.”

“ _What?!_ ” Paulamoni’s voice rose, in both pitch and volume. “It’s—what are you _saying_ , real bears don’t talk, this isn’t fucking _Narnia_ , that’s one of those—” She cut herself off and glanced nervously at the backyard. At the waiting bear. “Oh no… oh no…” She pressed her hands to her mouth and whimpered from behind her fingers. “I told you, I _told_ you we should’ve bought a ward, but you wouldn’t listen to me. And now we’ve got one of them in our backyard…”

“Dear, it’s fine.” Paulo laid a hand on her shoulder. “Calm down. It doesn’t mean us any harm.”

“Don’t tell me to _calm down!_ ” Paulamoni’s eyes flashed. “How can I possibly be _calm?_ And how can you be so sure it doesn’t mean us any harm?”

“Mom’s right!” Lilie cried out. “I bet it’s just pretending to be harmless, in order to lure our young sister out there and devour her in a bloody mess before our eyes! Oh! What a _tragedy!_ ”

“Pi–Lilie!” Paulamoni snapped. “What have I told you about saying things like that?”

“I can’t help it!” Lilie let out an exaggerated wail. “I’m just so frightened! What if it wants to eat _all_ of us, one by one?”

“If it did, it would’ve started with me.” Paulo shook his head. “Go get ready for work, Lilie, or you’re going to be late.”

“What? And miss the–oof!” Lilie doubled over as Pike shoved her elbow–the one not covered in casserole–into her stomach. “Ugh… fine… but I _will_ expect a full rundown of _everything_ that I miss!” She threw her napkin onto her empty plate and flounced out of the room.

“U-um…” Ahiru finally spoke up now, having finally found her voice. “Wh-what does it want to talk to me about?”

“Nothing you’re going to find out about.” Paulamoni shook her head. “Just stay inside, Ahiru, we’re going to call 911 and that’ll be the end of it.”

Paulo sighed. “Dear, just listen–”

“No! _You_ listen!” Paulamoni whirled on him. “It was one thing to encourage the girls when they were little, before we knew all this was real. But you’ve kept on being lax, acting like there’s nothing to fear from fae, refusing to get wards for the house or take _any_ precautions, and now we’ve got one practically in our house, wanting to speak to our daughter. Well, I’ve had enough! You have no way of knowing if this thing is safe, and I can’t _believe_ you’re willing to let Ahiru go out there alone and talk to it! Have you lost your mind?”

“Dear, I’m not stupid. I know some of the fae can be dangerous. They’re not all safe. But not all humans are safe either, right?” There was a pleading note in his voice. “It’s not that different. They’re just like us, there’s good and bad ones.”

“Just like _us?_ ” Paulamoni’s voice went up in pitch again. “You’ve gotta be kidding me, they’re _nothing_ like us!”

“I’m serious. There’s good fae and bad fae, just like there are good humans and bad humans.” Paulo sighed again. “And this is one of the good ones, I can tell. At the very least, it didn’t come here to kill us. It really does just want to talk to Ahiru.”

“Why, though?” Ahiru asked, just as her mother opened her mouth. “What could it want to talk to me about?”

“Dunno. It wouldn’t say.” Paulo shrugged. “I don’t think it’s gonna go away until you do, though, so you might as well get it over with.”

“No! Absolutely not!” Paulamoni shook her head. “That’s the worst idea I’ve ever heard of, I won’t allow it!”

“Mom, please!” Ahiru stood up, eyes flickering to Malen’s bone-white grip on her napkin. “Just let me do this! I’ll be fine! You want it to go away, don’t you?”

“Of course I do! But there’re other ways to get rid of it that don’t involve you risking your life!” Her eyes looked oddly bright all of a sudden. “Sweetie, just stay here, we’ll call the police and let them handle it, okay?”

“No.” Ahiru shook her head. “I’m sorry, I know you think that sounds like the smarter idea, but I don’t wanna do that. It could make everything worse. I’ll just go talk to it and see what it wants, and when I’ve found that out, I’ll make it go home. It’ll be okay, I promise.”

“Sweetie, no—please—”

“It’ll be okay,” Ahiru repeated, trying to ignore the fear in her mother’s voice. A smaller pair of slippers sat near the back door, and she slid them on. They were still a little bit too big for her tiny feet, but they’d do. Giving her family a smile meant to be reassuring, she headed into the yard, where the bear still stood tall on the mess of weeds and mostly dead grass, at what seemed to be the midpoint between the back wall and the edge of the deck.

By now the sun had completely set and darkness had fallen. The porch lights of the neighbors on each side of the house plus the requisite light pollution that came from living in a mostly urban area kept it from being impossible to see, though. And even if it _were_ pitch black, the pure white color of the bear’s fur would’ve stood out. If anything, it was a bit _too_ white–an otherworldly hue that seemed to almost faintly glow, like the stars that were visible in between the clouds that still drifted across the sky in trails and wisps. A milky half-moon emerged from behind a thicker cover, and Ahiru swallowed hard as she moved slowly towards the beast that awaited her. Was she really walking to her doom, as Lilie had predicted?

It felt that way at first, but the closer she got the less it seemed that she was in any danger. True, the bear was enormous, and up close its size seemed even more impressive. Ahiru had only grown to be four foot eleven, but this creature really did seem to be about twelve feet tall, risen up on its hind legs. And she knew that if it wanted to it could easily kill her. But one look into his face when she’d drawn near enough dispelled that possibility. His expression was calm, and his eyes—she’d never known that bears could have eyes like this. They were a warm golden brown, and were so gentle and even sad that she found herself relaxing, her pulse slowing as their gazes locked once more. When she was no more than a few feet away from him, the bear dropped onto all fours and lowered his head so he could better look at her. Ahiru immediately halted, and for a long moment they did nothing but stare at one another. And while they did she felt that the whole world itself seemed to slow and quiet, the noise of traffic and the calls of birds fading away into silence.

At last, though, her voice broke the stillness. “U-um… so… you—you wanted to talk to me?”

“I did.” The bear’s voice was soft and smooth, not at all what Ahiru had expected; she started in surprise. “You are Ahiru, the youngest of this family, correct? I apologize for frightening you all.”

“Ah—it’s okay, a-and y-yes.” Ahiru nodded, and wished she’d put a sweater on before coming out here. “Wh-what do you want from me? How do you know m-my name?” She was way out of her depth here. Thus far, her interactions with fae had been rather limited, to those few who’d stopped into The Buzz and the clerks who worked at Madam Mallow’s. If she’d run into any others, she hadn’t realized, and the pixies didn’t count as she’d never actually interacted directly with them. Besides, none of those things came close to a massive freaking _bear_ in her backyard. This was entirely new ground for her. Telling her mother it’d be fine was one thing, but actually speaking to this fairy? Quite another.

“I have been searching for someone like you.” The bear regarded her with those strange, sad eyes. “A maiden pure of heart and spirit, who cares generously for all. My search has taken me some time, and at last it led me to you. I have reason to believe that you are the one I seek.”

“M-me? I… but, I…” Ahiru wrung her hands. “But I’m not—I mean—” She paused. Her words needed to be considered carefully. Whatever this bear wanted, she was pretty sure she couldn’t give it to him. If so, how was she going to get him out of here without insulting him and bringing his wrath down onto her and her family? “Look, I–I’m sorry, but I just don’t think you’ve got the right person. I’m really sorry about that.”

“I beg to differ.” The bear shifted his position so that he reclined on the ground now. Ahiru’s heart sank. Clearly he wasn’t going anywhere any time soon. “I have a favor to ask of you, Ahiru. Is that alright?” He waited for her to nod before tilting his head to one side and continuing. “Will you come live with me in my palace? It has every comfort you could ask for, you will be safe and protected, and you will want for nothing.”

In the stillness of the night that followed, only one thing dared to make a noise. A solitary bird, perched in one of the trees in the Enchanted Forest, made a small chirp, and then shut its beak as if aware of its impertinence. Its call sounded as loud, in that long moment of crisp, stunned silence, as it would if one of the neighboring townhomes had collapsed. Ahiru was only vaguely aware of the hushed cadence of her own breathing as she tried to collect herself.

When she finally did, several minutes later (or so it seemed), she spoke hesitantly. “I… what?” She shook her head, trying to clear it, and glanced over her shoulder. Through the glass, she could see her family watching her—even Lilie, now dressed and with her hair in its usual pigtails. When she looked back, the bear was still watching her with those kind and otherworldly eyes. “I–I’m sorry, but no, I can’t… it…” She trailed off. There had to be a way to turn him down without pissing him off, and she needed to find it.  “That’s–that’s a very kind offer, and it sounds lovely, it really does, but I can’t accept. Sorry.” There. That should do it. Especially since she’d avoided saying “thank you”. That was supposed to be a no-no when it came to dealing with the fae. It didn’t matter that they were integrated into human society, they still had their own cultural norms and taboos that had to be respected and navigated around.

“Why?” The bear tilted his head again.

“Huh?” Ahiru frowned. “Why what?”

“Why are you unable to accept?” He scratched behind his ear with one huge paw. “Forgive me if I am out of bounds, but I would like to know why you feel you must reject me. I will respect it, of course, but please indulge my curiosity first before I do.”

“Oh… well, it’s cause…” Ahiru hesitated again. She hadn’t even told her family what had happened to her today, why should she spill the beans to some strange fairy she’d never even met before, as far as she knew? There was no good reason why she should, and in fact she _should_ tell him—politely, of course—that yes, he _was_ “out of bounds”. And yet… something about his demeanor invited honesty, made her feel like she could tell him anything she wanted to without fear of unkindness. She could feel herself letting her guard down, and she drew a shaky breath. “Well, the thing is… as kind as your offer is, it’s just not something I can do. I can’t abandon my family, not now. You see, we’re, we’re not exactly doing well financially. And I just lost my job today. So, I need to find another one as soon as I can, so we can pay rent and bills and buy food and get medicine for my sister, cause she’s really sick.” Ahiru’s shoulders slumped. Something about saying all of it out loud, stacked up on top of itself, made it sound even bleaker. “So, I’m sorry, but you need to find someone else, cause it just isn’t a good idea for me to run off and leave them.”

“Ah. Yes, I understand that.” The bear nodded. “However, this is where I must again beg your pardon, for I have been remiss, and allowed you to think that I am asking you to turn your back on them, without a single ounce of repayment for your kindness. I don’t intend anything of the sort. If you should agree to this, then your family will be rewarded too, with wealth beyond imagining. Enough to provide for them all for the rest of their days and beyond.”

If Ahiru had thought she was done being surprised for the night, then the bear’s words proved her wrong. Not even a cricket chirped this time. It was if all the animals and bugs in the area were too afraid to break the silence, and she couldn’t even hear the TV that usually blared from the townhome connected to theirs around this point in the evening. Had reality gone on vacation or something? She would’ve pinched herself, if only she could find the ability to move.

“Enough for…” Ahiru’s voice dwindled to nothing as soon as she found it, her jaw going slack. Wealth beyond imagining? To quote Star Wars, she could imagine quite a lot. If the bear was telling the truth, then the amount of money he’d give them would be way past that, which was a pretty freaking big deal. None of them would ever have to work again, or worry about paying bills and filling prescriptions. Malen could get the treatment she really needed and live comfortably, working towards fulfilling her dream of being a professional artist. Every single one of them could buy their own homes and live in luxury. The possibilities were endless.

There had to be a catch, though. Right? Even with humans you were always told to read the fine print. Ahiru swallowed. “If–if I said yes… what would I have to _do_ at the palace?”

“Nothing at all.” The bear pawed lightly at the ground. “I would ask nothing more from you than that you accept my hospitality.”

“That’s it?” Ahiru frowned. “Really?”

“Truly.” He nodded. “Nothing else would I require from you. Nothing but that you make my home your home as well and accept it, warts and all.”

“Oh.” Ahiru’s heart dropped. “Then–then I wouldn’t be able to talk to my parents or my sisters anymore? I wouldn’t be able to see them?”

“That isn’t what I said.” He shook his head again. “You would be free to contact them whenever you liked. Visiting them would be difficult to do often because of the location of my palace, but still could be done from time to time. I wouldn’t begrudge you the right to stay in touch with your loved ones.” He lifted his head, and gave her a look that seemed almost mournful. “Please. I swear that I will give you all that you ask for, if you will only do me this one kindness. If you say no I will respect it and leave you be, but I must plead with you to at least consider before you turn me down. As I told you before, I have been searching for someone like you for a long time.”

“I…” Ahiru fell silent again. She did consider it. True, she had no proof that the bear wasn’t tricking her, that he wouldn’t just eat her once he had her alone, that the palace he was talking about even existed. Logically, she should mistrust him. She should reject his generous but weird offer and run back into the house, to her family, and go back to the reality she was used to. She should pretend this never happened, and instead spend the rest of her evening applying to the grocery store and whatever other places she could think of that might hire her.

At the same time, though, she instinctively knew that he _was_ telling the truth, that he meant every word he’d said. She could _feel_ his sincerity and his sorrow radiating from him, shining out of those lonely amber eyes, as well as the weariness with which he held himself. It was in every line of his massive body, and it crept into his voice when he spoke. Whatever he was hoping for from her, whether she really had it or not, it was something he really had been searching a very long time for.

On that note, where had he come from, anyway? How far and wide had his travels ranged before it brought him here, to her? His words hinted strongly that he lived quite a ways away, so it couldn’t have been an easy journey at all. Plus, navigating areas dense with humans and anti-fae sentiment added an extra layer of difficulty to traveling. And as if to underscore that, a slight breeze kicked up, stirring the wind chimes that their other neighbor had hanging from their porch. The noise instantly brought to mind the anti-fae charms that practically every house in the neighborhood had, except for theirs. That had probably made things tougher for him too. He’d gone through a lot of trouble just to get here and talk to her; could she really say no, after all that? Could she really crush the faint hope he was clinging to, watch him walk off into the night alone as she forced him to start all over? She didn’t know what he was hoping _for_ , but she did know that if she said no she would regret it for the rest of her life. Not just for his sake, but her family’s as well. If she said yes to him, then her parents and sisters would be the ones to benefit. All that she had to do in exchange was move far away from them, but not so far that she couldn’t come back and see them sometimes, and she’d be living comfortably, with the ability to keep up regular communication. She’d miss them, yeah, but it seemed worth it. So, could she do it?

As if hoping for an answer, Ahiru looked back at the window again. They were all still watching her. She let her gaze travel over all of them, stopping at Malen. A lump rose in her throat. Malen. Poor Malen, who needed her prescriptions refilled soon, who needed to be able to receive better healthcare, and who hated herself for not being able to stand on her own two feet the way she wanted to. Malen, who deserved better than this. No, _all_ of them deserved better than this. Her parents, who worked so hard and were so stressed, who tried to hide that stress from their children, deserved better. Pike and Lilie, who were deferring their own dreams to help support the family, deserved better. They all deserved to live the kind of life the bear was promising them, if only Ahiru could say yes. No retail job she could get would provide for them all the way his offer would. Did she really have the heart to refuse?

No. She didn’t. Ahiru straightened her spine and turned back to face the bear. He raised his head a little, the flame of hope flickering a bit more brightly in his eyes. She took a deep breath, and nodded. “… Yes. I’ll do it.”

“Truly?” When she nodded the bear sighed, so deeply that it seemed to shake the earth slightly. “Oh… I am so relieved, Ahiru. Relieved beyond the telling of it. I shall never forget your kindness.”

“A-and you’ll keep your promise?” Her voice quavered only slightly. “My family will be rich? And I’ll be able to talk to them?”

“Yes and yes.” He nodded. “I would never break my word. We have scarcely met, I know, but I implore you to believe this of me all the same.”

“I…” Looking into his eyes, Ahiru found that she really did believe him. He was someone of great pride and honor, and she knew somehow, the way she knew herself down to her bones, that he would die rather than break a promise solemnly given. Maybe it was a fae thing. “Yes. I believe you.”

“Then this is where I leave you for now.” He lowered his head again. “Go, Ahiru—go back inside, and tell your family of your choice. I will return in a week’s time to carry you to your new home. Until then, make your preparations and say your goodbyes, spend every minute you can with them.”

“Oh… okay…” Ahiru swallowed. “How much do I need to bring with me?”

“Only your most treasured possessions.” The bear rose to his feet. “Clothes and other necessities will be provided for you, so you needn’t bring any of those unless there is a particular garment you don’t wish to be parted from.”

“A-all right.” Ahiru wrapped her arms around herself to try and stave off the chilly air as much as she could. “Then… I’ll… see you next week, I guess?” Her face burned as she said it. Put like that, it sounded like they’d just arranged to go on a date. At least, she imagined it did. She’d never actually been on a date before, so she had no personal experience to draw on, just other people’s stories.

“Yes.” The bear nodded. “I bid you farewell until then, Ahiru. Safe travels.”

“You too!” She started to wave at him, purely out of habit, and then quickly lowered her hand. That was a human custom, but was it an insult to fairies? She didn’t know.

Fortunately it didn’t seem to bother the bear. He simply turned around and loped off towards the wall at the end of the yard. It took him two steps to get there, and when he did he stepped over it as easily as she might step over a rock on the ground. Ahiru watched him go, waiting until the faint glimmer of his white fur disappeared into the night, indistinguishable from the distant streetlights that shone beyond the edge of the Enchanted Forest. Her hands were shaking as she turned around, whether from nerves or the cold she couldn’t tell. She stared at her family silhouetted against the back door. Their expressions ranged from too-calm-to-be-true from her father to vaguely-disappointed-it-hadn’t-been-more-exciting from Lilie. Taking a deep breath, she started slowly walking towards them, already trying to find the words to explain that she had just sold herself to the fae.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> bean sidhe - pronounced "banshee", an Irish spirit of death that can be heard wailing the night before someone dies
> 
> devas - beings that usually take the form of a faint golden glow that clings to healthy plants
> 
> dryads - tree spirits
> 
> glaistigs - water fairies
> 
> nixies - water sprites that primarily live in rivers
> 
> pixies - small, winged fairies; usually friendly, but prone to mischief
> 
> will o' the wisp - a ball of light that attempts to lead unwary travelers astray


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Beta-read by [letters_of_stars](http://archiveofourown.org/users/letters_of_stars/pseuds/letters_of_stars).

Ahiru jerked on the zipper of her overstuffed backpack, hoping that pulling hard enough would be enough to unstick it. The stupid thing was so old that it was prone to do that, much to her frustration, and she didn’t exactly have time to run out and buy a new backpack now. She shouldn’t have left off on packing, but actually putting her things away to take with her just seemed so final, until it was a week later and she couldn't procrastinate anymore. Now she’d been stuck packing and unpacking and repacking for over an hour, easily the most she’d used her backpack since graduating high school, and she’d forgotten just what a piece of junk it was. The zipper finally came free of where it had been jammed, and she gave a little whoop of triumph under her breath until she noticed that the zipper had now gotten caught on the sleeve of a sweater she’d crammed in last second on top of all her other stuff. Suppressing the urge to yell, she instead stomped her foot while making a fairly quiet noise in the back of her throat. She wrecked her nails getting the wool of the sweater out of the zipper before yanking said zipper back down and dumping most of the backpack’s contents onto her bed. _Again_.

The bear had told her last week to bring only her ‘most treasured possessions’. That clothing and other necessities would be provided for her. Which was all well and good, but didn’t really help her that much when it came down to it. Cause, like—where did these necessities come from? Was he able to wave a paw and conjure them up out of thin air? And what necessities did he even _mean?_ It was probably a good assumption that fae took showers, but what about using the bathroom? Did they menstruate? None of her classes in high school had ever delved into fae biology, whether out of anti-fae sentiment or lack of information she didn’t know, and had never asked. If her knowledge of human boys was any indication, a male bear fae wasn’t likely to put pads on the shopping list. Which meant that despite what he’d said, she wasn’t at all sure he’d actually know what was a necessity, so it was a good idea to be prepared. She’d stuffed the backpack’s pockets full to bursting with personal hygiene items from her bathroom, and a few more sat at the bottom of the main part too. That she hadn’t unpacked at any point. Ditto the carefully folded underwear and her one spare bra. After all, who knew if he’d even think to provide something like that either, assuming he did the shopping? _How_ would a bear go shopping? Oh geez, there was so much she still didn’t know about this. Was she really doing the right thing? Had she gotten in over her head?

One glance over at Malen’s empty bed answered that question. Malen was downstairs having something to eat, but she’d had a migraine most of the day and was only now starting to feel a little better, or at least well enough to put some food in her stomach. It’d be the first thing she had since breakfast, and it hadn’t been easy to get her down the stairs in her weak condition. Her medication helped, somewhat, but it didn’t do the job as well as anyone would’ve liked, as usual. One reason was probably that it was the generic form. She _always_ had the generic form. Ahiru didn’t think any of them had _ever_ had a prescription filled where they opted for the name brand. And generics were supposed to be lower quality, according to what she’d read at least. So Malen was already starting out with weaker weapons.

The other reason was one that Paulamoni would probably never admit: that they were using human medicine to treat Malen’s illnesses, rather than going to a fae doctor. Fae medicine was…well, it was just supposed to be _better_. The fae had knowledge humans didn’t, of plants and techniques they’d kept closely guarded for centuries, not to mention magic, and over the past decade they’d started opening their own clinics so they could treat humans who were being failed by traditional human medicine. It was expensive as hell, though, and good luck finding one in your area if you didn’t live in a big city. There was a fae clinic in the city nearest to Twin Pines, but the cost was just too much for them to be able to take Malen there, even if Paulamoni wasn’t adamantly opposed.

But now Malen would have her own money to spend, thanks to the bear. Thanks to Ahiru agreeing to his offer. And if Malen wanted to go to that fae clinic and get treated, find a better way to manage her chronic illnesses, who the hell was gonna stop her? She could afford it. And Paulamoni’s protests could never override the fact that Malen was fully an adult, able to make her own decisions. Hopefully she’d finally go there after Ahiru left, and one day soon Malen could start a life not constantly dragged down by her health.

Of course, that still didn’t solve the issue of what to pack. Ahiru looked down at the things she’d dumped on the bed and sighed. Then she put the pajamas she’d accidentally removed back in, shoving them down next to the underwear. That was another thing she wasn’t sure would already be there for her, and she really didn’t care for the idea of spending her first night in a strange place in the clothes she’d worn all day. Her favorite book and a bookmark got put back in too, and after a moment of back-and-forth hesitation so did a sandwich bag full of cheap jewelry she’d collected over the years. Yeah, she’d probably get handed a bunch of expensive stuff when she got to the palace, but all this had sentimental value. So did the book of sketches Malen had made for her as a birthday present one year. That had to go with her too.

While she debated the merits of a few other books and Mr. Quackers, footsteps coming down the hall caught her attention. Ahiru whirled around just as Malen opened their bedroom door. “Malen! What are you doing back here alone? You should’ve had someone help you, I would’ve come down and done it!” She crossed the room in a flash and took Malen’s arm to help her over to her bed.

“I’m fine, really. No, I mean it, I’m _fine_.” Malen pushed Ahiru’s hands away and sat down on the bed. She’d been uncharacteristically short with Ahiru this past week, and today's migraine hadn't improved her mood any. “My head barely hurts anymore and I feel a lot stronger now that I’ve eaten. Don’t worry so much.” She nodded towards the backpack disaster. “You’ve got more important things on your mind.”

“No, I don’t. Nothing’s more important than you guys.” Ahiru shook her head. “Just take it easy. Honestly, Malen, you need to take better care of yourself.” She almost added _because after tonight I’m not gonna be here anymore to do it for you_ , but she really didn’t need to say it aloud for the words to hang between them.

“I’m _fine_. Stop being a worrywart.” Malen rolled her eyes. “Just finish packing. You’re the one leaving home tonight. Like, I’m not traveling anywhere, I can just rest after you leave, and I’m gonna start getting better care soon anyway, so what’s the big deal?”

“The big deal is that you shouldn’t push yourself too hard right now and end up feeling horrible tonight!” Ahiru folded her arms and glared at her. “You could’ve fallen down the stairs getting up here, you could’ve gotten hurt!”

“No, I wasn’t gonna do that.” Malen rolled her eyes again and sighed. “I _told_ you, I feel a lot stronger now that I've gotten some food in me. I didn’t need help getting up the stairs. I’m not made of glass, you know, and I do know my own limits.”

“Right.” Now it was Ahiru’s turn to roll her eyes. She could feel some of her irritation at the backpack zipper creeping into her conversation with Malen, but it was impossible to stop it. “Cause that’s ever stopped you from pushing them before.”

“Maybe not, but you know what? If I do that’s my own business, and I can deal with the consequences.” Malen splayed a hand across her chest. “It doesn’t do _me_ any good to get fussed over like I’m an infant. How can I learn to take care of myself if you keep treating me like I’m an invalid?” Malen folded her arms and glared back at Ahiru. “It’s not your responsibility to do everything for me, and you know it.”

“I didn’t say it was!” Ahiru’s eyes flashed. “I can do _some_ things for you, though, you know? You’re family! That means I help out with taking care of you.”

“You ‘helping me out’ is _not_ what I have a problem with.” Malen turned away to stare at the wall.

“Oh, really?” Ahiru let out a mirthless laugh. “Could’ve fooled _me_.”

“That’s because your definition of ‘helping out’ is all fucked up!” Malen snapped. “You know, _normal_ people define ‘helping out’ as getting someone a glass of water and some aspirin if they have a headache, or picking up someone else’s share of the chores, or driving them to a doctor’s appointment. Shit like that. Not sacrificing their lives to go live with a bear.” She leaned back against the wall like all the air had left her. Or like something she’d been waiting to say all week had finally made it out into the open.

“I’m—what?” Ahiru gaped at her. “I’m not ‘sacrificing my life’, what the hell? You sound like Lilie!”

“Oh _please_ , you know I don’t mean it like she does.”

“Then how _do_ you mean it?” Ahiru’s hands shook as she shoved a couple of things back into her backpack. “Don’t tell me you’ve been listening to Mom’s crap about not trusting the fae?”

“No, it’s not that either.” Malen pressed a hand to her forehead. Maybe that headache wasn’t all the way gone. “It’s just—well, I mean, come on! Look at all this!” Malen waved her hand to indicate the mess on Ahiru’s bed. “You can’t decide what to take, can you?”

“Uh, no, not really,” Ahiru admitted, a bit grudgingly. “It’s just… well, he wasn’t specific enough, you know? I don’t know what necessities he meant would be provided and what’s already there and what he or whoever else lives there needs to go get, or how all that even works, or who’s gonna be there besides us.” She sighed, shoulders slumping. “It’s his fault for not being more clear.”

“Partly, yeah.” Malen nodded, sitting back up from the wall. “Fae do kind of have a reputation of being really unclear and kinda… oh, damn, what’s the word I’m looking for? Obtuse? Obscure? Whatever, you know what I mean.”

“Yeah. And that’s true, they do.” Ahiru wrinkled her nose. “I mean, okay, they probably can’t help it, but it’s kind of annoying now that I’m on the other end, you know? This is such a big change and I feel so unprepared. And it’s not like we ever got to go on family vacations or anything, so I don’t have any experience with packing for an overnight trip.”

“Yes, and that’s the point I’m trying to make here.” Malen’s gaze hardened. “You stayed home from that trip in high school so that you could take care of me, and now you’re doing this, which is ten if not a hundred times worse… you’re always making these huge sacrifices for me and I can never repay you. That’s not just ‘helping out’, that’s going way above and beyond what needs to be done.”

“Hey, come on, stop it.” Ahiru frowned. “I already told you, I don’t wanna be ‘repaid’, that’s not how family works, and I’m doing this for _everyone,_ and it’ll be fine. _I’m_ gonna be fine.”

“Everyone? Really?” Malen raised her eyebrows. “I mean, okay, I know that Mom and Dad and the twins are gonna benefit too, but give me a break—don’t even pretend that I’m not one of the major reasons you’re doing this.”

“And what if you are?” Ahiru’s voice rose. “Is it really so bad for me to care about you, to want to help you out? You’re my family, you’re all my family and I love you, I want the best for _all_ of you. That money’s gonna be a huge help, so you need to stop acting like I’m doing something terrible to get it, like committing murder or something.”

“I didn’t say you are, I just…” Malen made a frustrated sound. “Look, I’m not stupid, I _know_ what that money’s gonna pay for.” She sighed.

“It’s gonna pay for a lot of stuff!” Ahiru’s frown turned into a scowl. “Mom and Dad can get a bigger house that they actually own, nice cars for both of them, Pike and Lilie can get cars too and start going back to school, get places of their own even, you can all take vacations and eat at nice restaurants… there’s tons of stuff it can pay for!”

“Okay, I _get_ that, but really…” Malen fixed her with an intense look. “Be honest, Ahiru—a trip to Disneyland wasn’t the first thing on your mind when you agreed to go live with a bear, was it?”

“Well… alright, maybe it wasn’t the first thing on the list, but what’s it matter?” Ahiru shoved the woolen sweater back into her pack, wrinkled her nose at the space it took up, and pulled it back out to dump on the bed. “I want you all to have nice things and get to do stuff you’ve wanted to do but never been able to afford, and _yes_ , that includes you getting better treatment and being able to do more of the things you want to.”

“What if I don’t want _this?_ ” Malen stared down at her lap. “What if I want you to stop making these big sacrifices for my sake and focus on living your own life, making choices that benefit _you_ , instead of always putting everyone else first? Don’t _you_ ever want to do that? Don’t you ever want something for yourself?”

“I—no, I can’t. I can’t do that.” Ahiru shook her head. “Even if it wasn’t too late to change my mind about this, I can’t be selfish like that. I have to do my part to help this family.”

“That’s not what I asked.” Malen’s tone became gentler. “Ahiru, I asked you if you _want_ things for yourself. That’s different from actually going after them.”

“Well—I—that is—” Ahiru took a few breaths to steady herself. “Of—of course I do, everyone does, but I can’t—I _have_ to put you all first, don’t you see? It’d just be selfish of me to put my needs first when there are bigger problems. Like, what good is it to keep money in my account for a college fund if Mom and Dad can’t pay the mortgage? Shit like that. There’s _wants_ and then there’s _needs_ , and I know how to tell the difference. We’ve _all_ had to learn that.”

“I know that. I do. I just…” A huge sigh escaped Malen. “I guess I just don’t see why you think you _need_ to do something this extreme.”

“What’s ever gonna change if I don’t?” Ahiru’s voice dropped. “I lost my job last week, remember? The same day the bear came here and made me this offer. You can’t act like _that_ had nothing to do with my decision, that’s dishonest. I lost my job and I don’t know when I would’ve gotten another one. And when I did, what then? How long would I have had to work at it before I got to go to college? How long would college have taken me, and wouldn’t we have suffered a little if I had to stop working, or work less, and bring in less money during those years? And what about afterward, when I’d be stuck with student loans and trying to find a job in my field? What about the situation with Mom and Dad’s insurance? I just… I don’t know if anything would’ve really improved things drastically, aside from Mom’s talk about winning the lottery.” She sighed. “And that’s no guarantee, ever. This… this was a miracle, kinda, if you think about it, and there’s no way I’m not taking it.”

“Well, when you put it like that, it sounds so hopeless.” Malen frowned. “Is—is that what you really think, Ahiru?”

“I think… ugh, I don’t even know what I think.” Ahiru sat down on the one clear spot on her bed. “I just… you don’t know what it was like that day, walking home alone, having just lost my job, not knowing why it had to be me they cut, worrying myself sick over what I was gonna do next, not knowing how the hell I was gonna tell any of you…”

“And then you _did_ come home, and I acted like a whiny brat.” Malen’s mouth tightened, as if she was turning her anger on herself now. “Shit. I’m sorry. That must’ve… that must’ve helped push you into this, didn’t it? I’m such an _idiot_.”

“Maybe. I don’t know.” Ahiru shrugged. “I just know that I was already kinda despairing over it all, and that I wouldn’t call how you acted ‘being a whiny brat’ or anything like that. You had every reason to be scared of the future, and I’ve been worried about it too. So can you see why I’m doing this?”

“I guess.” Malen sighed. “I still don’t like it, but I can see why you’re doing it.”

Ahiru shook her head. “You don’t have to _like_ it, you just have to accept it. Cause it’s happening whether you’re happy about it or not.”

“I know, I know.” Malen rubbed her temples. “There’s no talking you out of it at this point. I _know_. I probably would have done the same thing in your shoes, honestly. I just…” Her voice dropped. “I’m gonna miss having you here, you know? It’s gonna be kinda weird waking up to an empty room.”

“Yeah. I do know that.” Ahiru frowned at her mess of stuff. Well. That had just made the decision for her on one particular thing. “Here.” She picked her old stuffed duck up and carried him over to Malen. “This is for you.”

“Mr. Quackers?” Malen looked up at Ahiru, a bewildered expression on her face. “But—you love Mr. Quackers, why are you giving him to me?”

“Because I’ve been having trouble fitting him in my bag, and more importantly I think you need him more than I do right now anyway.” Ahiru set Mr. Quackers down in Malen’s lap. “You can hug him when you need to and he’ll be right there when you wake up, so you won’t really be alone.”

“But—but what about you?” Malen hugged Mr. Quackers to her chest, despite her protests. “You’re gonna need him too, all alone in that palace!”

“We don’t _know_ that I’m gonna be alone,” Ahiru pointed out. “Remember? The bear didn’t say anything either way, so there could be lots of people working there and living there. And really, that just makes sense—even fae can’t do _everything_ by magic, I don’t think. Somebody’s got to do the cooking and the cleaning, at least. And I don’t think it’s the bear.”

“Even if you’re right, that’s not the same thing.” Malen’s lower lip wobbled. “You won’t have any of us around, not like me. I’m still gonna be living with Mom and Dad at the very least for a while, and probably Pike and Lilie too until they get themselves settled and decide what they’re gonna do. But you, you’re gonna be far away, surrounded by strangers. Don’t you think you should have a friend with you like Mr. Quackers?”

“I _did_ think about that,” Ahiru admitted, not bothering to mention the number of times she’d tried to fit Mr. Quackers in with all her other junk. “But… I think I’m gonna be fine. Cause I’ll be exploring a new place and making new friends, and getting used to stuff, and meanwhile I know you’re gonna be back here still feeling bad about it no matter what I say. Right?” When Malen ducked her head and nodded, Ahiru went on. “That’s what I thought. So I want Mr. Quackers to stay here with you, because he can give you all my love while I’m not here and be your friend, he’ll take care of you. Whenever you start feeling guilty about it, just hug Mr. Quackers and remember that he loves you, and that _I_ love you, and that you deserve to get good stuff. Alright?”

“Oh, _Ahiru_ …” Malen’s eyes were shining with tears that now started to spill over, and she hugged Mr. Quackers tighter. “Okay. I’ll take good care of Mr. Quackers for you, I promise… and I’ll try to do what you said, too.”

“Thank you.” Ahiru wrapped her arms around Malen in a gentle hug. “Mr. Quackers will be happy with you. I know it.”

“I hope so.” Malen hiccupped. “And I hope you’ll be happy too, wherever you are… I hope you don’t regret doing this.”

“I won’t, I know I won’t.” Ahiru stroked Malen’s hair, smoothing it down where it was messy from lying in bed most of the day. “Cause I’m doing a good thing for all of you, you know? It’s gonna be totally worth it once you’ve all got your money and you’re living it up the way we all always dreamed. And especially if we get to talk in a few months about how much better you’re doing. Cause, speaking of that, I want you to promise me you’re gonna go to a fae clinic when you’ve got the money. I don’t care what Mom says, I really think they can help you better than your human doctors.”

“I was already planning on it.” Malen smiled guiltily through her tears. “Mom’ll throw a fit, but I don’t care, I want to see if they can help me manage this shit better. And if I can’t get a ride from Dad or the twins, I’ll call a cab.”

“No, don’t do that.” Ahiru shook her head. “Call a limo service. Arrive in _style_.”

“Oh, right!” Malen dissolved into giggles. “I can see it now, I pull up at the clinic in a limo like some bourgeois douchebag who buys gold-plated soap or whatever. Get real, Ahiru!”

“It was just a suggestion!” Ahiru giggled too, mostly out of relief that she’d gotten Malen to laugh. “Anyway, I gotta finish packing if I wanna have time to eat before I go.”

“What, you don’t wanna wait and see if there’s magical food waiting for you when you get there?” Malen grinned. “All laid out on a fancy table in a grand dining room?”

“Uh-uh, no way!” Ahiru shook her head. “Are you kidding me? The way the bear was talking about his palace, it sounded like it’s really far away from here. I’d be s _tarving_ by the time we got there if I waited to eat!”

“Oh yeah. Good point.” Malen fell silent. For a minute or so she just quietly watched Ahiru continue to hem and haw over which things to take and which ones to leave, and then she spoke up again, her voice a little quieter. “Hey… Ahiru?”

“Yeah?” Ahiru turned to look at her.

“I know I’m not gonna convince you to stay here or anything, but… but you gotta promise me. Promise me that you’ll get something good out of it for yourself, too.” She sighed. “I’m tired of you giving up everything you want for the rest of us.”

“I haven’t given anything up.” Ahiru shook her head. “I just _delayed_ going to college, that’s all. And now I’m gonna be rich too, and living in a palace, so I don’t even have to worry about it anymore, probably. You gotta remember, it’s not like I’m gonna be living in a hovel or working for the bear as his servant—he said I’d just have to accept his hospitality and make the palace my home, and I’d have every comfort and ‘want for nothing’. I’m gonna have it really good!” If she kept saying that, out loud and in her head, it would dull the pangs she felt at leaving her family and set her remaining unease to rest. She really did believe that. She had to.

“That’s true.” Malen wiped at her eyes with one hand. “Although you might be wanting for a good internet connection. I know he said you can communicate with us still, but since fairy magic interferes with technology so much I dunno how he expects you to do that. Handwritten letters?”

“Maybe. I don’t know.” Ahiru shrugged. “If it comes to that, though, then that’s what I’ll do. But there’s sure to be _something_ there, he seems to really want to accommodate me, and he would’ve said something if internet was impossible, probably. Possibly.”

“Probably not, given how little he told you otherwise.” Malen blew her nose. “Anyway, you can worry about that later. Just finish getting packed so you can eat. You don’t wanna wait for the magic fairy food, right?”

“Ah! Right!” Ahiru whirled back around. She did a frantic once-over of the stuff still scattered there, then a slower one, and after a moment or so of indecision crammed a few more items into her backpack. Once she was reasonably sure she had everything she wanted, she zipped the bag up—smirking at the zipper in a moment of personal triumph when it immediately obeyed her—and then pulled on the sweater she’d snagged with the zipper earlier. On second thought, it made more sense to wear it tonight to keep warm. “Okay, done… now to go have dinner.”

“I’ll go with you.” Malen set Mr. Quackers down on her pillow and stood up. “I want to see you off, and I know you’ll just worry yourself sick if I go downstairs alone later, so I’ll just head down now.”

“Well, at least _now_ you’re using common sense.” Ahiru stuck her tongue out at her, and Malen responded in kind. They both laughed, and then Ahiru slung her backpack onto her shoulders and, over Malen’s protests, looped her arm through Malen’s and helped her walk out of their room and down the stairs. She was still a bit shaky, no matter what she’d said.

In the lower part of the house, it almost seemed like a normal evening. Pike and Lilie were in the living room, arguing over what to watch on TV, while Paulo ignored them in favor of the newspaper he was hiding behind. Malen and Ahiru walked as quietly as they could to avoid attracting attention, and breathed a little easier when they made it into the kitchen.

“There you are.” Paulamoni looked to have been texting someone on her phone, but turned around as the two girls entered the room. “Ahiru, there’s still time before you go, so I really think you should eat something. I don’t know how long the trip'll take or if that—if he’s considered your needs.” She pursed her lips and looked like she'd wanted to say more, but decided against it. “Can I get you something?”

“No thanks, I’m fine.” Ahiru dropped her backpack onto one of the empty chairs at the kitchen table, while Malen sank down into the one next to it. “I’ll heat something up, don’t worry, I think I still have a TV dinner in the freezer…”

“Alright.” Paulamoni went back to the text she’d been typing up, while keeping an eye on the kitchen window.

She didn’t take her eyes off it the whole time Ahiru heated up and ate her frozen meal, and barely responded when Ahiru and Malen tried to engage her in conversation. Eventually they gave up, and just talked to each other. They stuck to lighter topics that were unlikely to rile up their mother should any of it actually register with her, and did their best to act like it really was just a normal evening.

Soon enough, though, the reality that it was far from normal set in. Before she knew it, Ahiru had finished eating, and as if on cue the blaring TV from the other room—which twin had won the argument for control of the remote wasn’t clear—shut off. Ahiru’s stomach churned and her heart started racing. It was time. Or nearly time, at least. She stood up and grabbed her backpack.

“Wait, wait, Ahiru—” Paulamoni hurried over. “I want to see what you’re wearing, it’s gonna be awfully cold, this isn’t like riding in a car with the heater going, cause God forbid these damn fae travel _normally_ …”

“Mom, please.” Ahiru sighed “I’m gonna be fine.”

“Don’t give me that ‘Mom, please’ crap again, you know I’m right.” Paulamoni put her hands on her hips. “If he really cared about your comfort he’d be sending a car to pick you up, not expecting you to ride on his back to God knows where as if we’re still in the Middle Ages or something and don’t have better technology. It gets _cold_ at night this time of year, and you need to be properly bundled up before you go.”

“I _am_.” Ahiru barely resisted the urge to roll her eyes. That would only earn her another scolding about ‘having attitude’. “I put on that old thermal shirt, _and_ two undershirts, _and_ this sweater, and I’m gonna wear the waterproof jacket and my scarf and mittens too. I’m good.”

“What about your legs?” Paulamoni looked down. “Those are gonna get cold too, have you protected them?”

“Yes, I have.” Ahiru tried not to sigh. “I have your old knee-high socks on, and pajama bottoms under here too.” Given their height difference, the socks went above Ahiru’s knees, and these pants kind of _needed_ something layered underneath anyway if she wanted them to stay up without a belt. “It made me kinda sweaty earlier when I was running around packing, so I should be fine on the road.”

“Well, running around a little in a heated house is different from riding an animal through the night, with the wind, but okay. Let’s hope.” Paulamoni was clearly ignoring the fact that their house was never that warm, to save on the gas bill. “Let’s go wait outside then.”

The three trooped out of the kitchen and to the front door. Pike, Lilie, and Paulo had already put their shoes on and were waiting for them. Paulamoni and Malen put their own pairs of shoes on, while Ahiru struggled to lace up Paulamoni’s old rain boots. They’d had an argument about that too—it was her mother’s only pair, and they were a couple sizes too big for Ahiru, but Paulamoni insisted on her wearing them for the trip, on the grounds that she thought they’d protect her feet better. And with the money coming in soon, it’d be no problem to get herself a new pair. No one could agree on _how_ the money would get there, but despite that they’d all already started talking about what they’d do with it once it did, even the skeptical Paulamoni. Ahiru had reluctantly agreed to take the boots after that was pointed out.

“Everyone ready?” Paulo asked as Ahiru shouldered her backpack again once she was all bundled up. “Ahiru, you got everything you need?”

“Yep!” Ahiru smiled up at him. “I’ve got it all!”

“Good. Right, then…” Paulo looked over at his wife; their gazes briefly met before Paulamoni looked away. He sighed. “Let’s all go wait for your ride to get here.”

“Oh, is that what we’re calling it?” Paulamoni muttered as she followed the rest of them through the door.

Outside, it was a clear, cold evening. Not a single cloud was in the sky, allowing the stars to twinkle unobscured by anything except for light pollution. The moon was now full, or close enough, and Ahiru nearly tripped over her own feet as she spotted it where it hung low in the sky, barely visible between a couple of trees down the street. Was it a good omen or a bad one? She couldn’t decide. Maybe it was stupid to consider anything as natural and inevitable as a phase in the lunar cycle an omen of any kind, though. She shrugged and joined her family as they found places to stand on the driveway. Paulamoni contrived to put all four of her daughters in between herself and Paulo; he opened his mouth to say something to her, but then changed his mind. Ahiru and Malen stood next to him, while Pike and Lilie were on Ahiru’s other side. Ahiru wasn’t sure if her parents had exchanged ten words with each other all day, a huge shift from the epic arguments the whole past week that Ahiru had hid her head beneath her pillow trying not to hear. Now, they held themselves stiff, with Paulamoni very purposefully avoiding eye contact with her husband. It made Ahiru’s stomach upset to see. As unfortunate as their family situation might have been, she’d never doubted the fact that her parents loved each other, and that was the love that kept everything from falling apart completely. But now all there was between them was silence.

Luckily, it took Lilie all of a minute, if that, to start talking again and break the tension. “You know, I _do_ think that the worst thing about this is that we won’t even get to have a proper funeral for Ahiru in the end.” She let out an exaggerated sigh. “She’s sure to be eaten alive, that’s not in question, but _where?_ We don’t even know where this palace _is!_ And even if we did, there’ll be no body to recover, except for maybe—“

“Lilie!” Paulamoni snapped. “Do I really have to tell you again to stop that?”

“I’m sorry, Mom, I’m just… overwhelmed with the _tragedy_ of it all.” Lilie flung the back of her hand against her forehead. “To lose my poor baby sister at such a young age, when she’s barely lived… it hardly seems right to be parading around in luxury like we will once she’s gone How heartless we all are!”

“Right.” Pike snorted. “Cause you _totally_ weren’t browsing Amazon earlier and making a million dollar wishlist.”

“Well, _excuse me_ for trying to look on the bright side here!” Lilie huffed. “Our sister’s noble sacrifice for our sake should be honored! And we can’t honor her memory if we don’t spend as much of the—what was it—oh right, riches beyond imagination! If we don’t spend and enjoy it, then what she’s doing for us will be in vain! You don’t want _that_ , do you?”

“That’s not what I said.” Pike rolled her eyes. “Don’t put words in my mouth. And didn’t you just say it wasn’t right to do that? That we’d be heartless?”

“I said it doesn’t _seem_ right. There’s a big difference.” Lilie sniffed. “And on second thought, I think it’d be much more heartless to let Ahiru’s sacrifice go to waste. We must make the most of it!”

“How? By buying diamond-encrusted toothbrushes, I suppose?” Pike asked with another snort.

“It’s a start! And be _fair_ , Pike, not all of the things I’m going to spend my share on are like that!” Lilie shook her head. “I’ve started looking at college courses too, and I’ve thought about how to get there, because I have to be practical and consider transportation.”

“Okay, I guess that’s not so bad,” Pike said. “What kind of car are you thinking of? A hybrid?”

“Ooh, no, I hadn’t thought of that!” Lilie shook her head. “Do they _make_ hybrid stretch limos?”

Ahiru’s eyes met Malen’s, and they both had to suppress their giggles as Pike made a noise of disgusted disbelief. “A—oh, for fuck’s sake, what is _wrong_ with you?”

“Nothing that _I_ can see,” Lilie said primly. “And just what is so bad about owning a limo anyway? They already exist, I might as well buy one, the number of them out there isn’t gonna go down just cause I decide to listen to you and the stick up your ass! And I’ll be giving someone a job, too, when I hire a chauffeur! So it benefits everyone, really! Get off your high horse!”

“I’m not sure it’s even physically possible to be riding a high horse while also having a stick up my ass, but whatever.” Pike rolled her eyes again. “You’re just trying to pull anything out of _your_ ass that you can use to justify going on huge spending sprees!”

“Well, what’s the use of money that just sits there? Tell me!” Lilie glared at her. “Especially when poor doomed Ahiru is sacrificing herself for it! If we trade her away for all this wealth and then not use it, what good is that? How does that honor her?”

“More like she’s trading herself away, but I guess it amounts to the same thing in the end.” Pike sighed and turned to Ahiru, who did her best to keep a straight face. “You know, I still wish we knew how this bear’s gonna get all that money to us, so that Lilie _can_ blow it on whatever over the top garbage grabs her attention.”

“I can _hear_ you, you know!”

“I know.” Ahiru tried not to sigh. “And I keep telling you all, he didn’t tell me that, he just said you’d all get unimaginable wealth.”

“I _know_ that. You’ve said it a million times.” Pike rolled her eyes again. “I just wish he would’ve been more _specific,_ is all. Instead of talking in riddles like he’s Gandalf or some shit.”

“Oh please, you wouldn’t find that any fun and you know it.” Malen wrapped her jacket tighter around herself. “Don’t even _act_ like you’re not getting a kick out of betting on how it’s gonna get here.”

“I say it’s gonna be in a giant gem-encrusted trailer attached to a golden collar around his neck!” Lilie piped up again.

“Hey, I take my fun where I can get it.” Pike shrugged. Beside her, Lilie was fuming at being ignored yet again. “Anyway, Ahiru, have you been reading that book I gave you? About how to recognize and avoid certain types of fae?”

“Um… a little?” Ahiru smiled sheepishly. “I flipped through a few pages but then I kinda forgot about it, sorry… I don’t think I’ll really need it, though.”

“You—what? Oh, you’re _hopeless_.” Pike sighed. “I assume it’s not in your bag?”

“No.” She could feel a blush coming on, and she hated it. She didn’t share Pike’s wariness towards the fae, she didn’t want to read some paranoid manual clearly intended to stir up hate and fear, why was she turning red? It was just the effect Pike had, probably. She’d been born a few minutes before Lilie, and had taken the role of ‘the older twin’ seriously, to the point where she was domineering to _everyone_ , not just Lilie. “I told you, I don’t need it. Despite what you all think, I’m gonna be fine.”

“Sure. Sure you will. _If you take precautions_.” Pike glared at her and folded her arms. “Okay, since we probably don’t have time to go root through that pigsty you call a room and find it so that you can take it, I’ll run through some stuff from it with you. Try and remember it all after you leave, alright?”

“Pike, really, it’s not necessary.” Ahiru sighed. “I’ll be fine.”

“Yes, famous last words of the kind of fools who climb on the backs of kelpies.” Pike tapped her foot on the driveway. “Which seems like a good place to start. If you’re near some kind of body of water, like a lake, and some kind of seahorse-looking weirdo offers you a ride, don’t do it. They sometimes appear in the form of handsome dudes, too, but you can spot ‘em pretty easily when they’re like that, cause their hair’ll look like seaweed. And smell like it too.” She made a face.

“Yes, I know.” Ahiru rolled her eyes. “I know all about kelpies, you don’t have to tell me.”

“Of course, they’re not the only things that’ll want to give you a ride,” Pike continued, acting as though she hadn’t heard Ahiru. “The Pooka’s gonna do that too. He can change into basically any shape he wants, but he’ll always have black fur and golden eyes, gives him away. He probably won’t kill you, just take you for a wild ride and dump you in a field somewhere, but still—stay away.”

“Pike, please,” Ahiru sighed again. “I know better than to accept rides from strange animals.”

“Oh? You do?” Paulamoni turned to her. “Then why are we all out here right now? Waiting for the ice cream truck?”

“Paulamoni, stop.” Paulo sounded exhausted. “We’ve been over this. Ahiru’s an adult, she knows what she’s doing. We should trust her.”

“It’s not her I don’t trust!” Paulamoni shook her head, and the dangly little iron earrings she’d bought on Saturday jingled a little. “You _know_ that! It’s—”

And, as if her words had summoned him, something large and unnaturally white appeared around the corner at the end of their street. Lilie said something about him not having brought the ‘unimaginable wealth’ with him, but Pike shushed her, and then all of them fell silent as they watched the bear approach. He moved slowly and purposefully, able to cover the distance between them in only a handful of strides due to his enormous size. Yet it strangely seemed that he took all too long to reach the driveway’s edge while at the same time that it felt like he didn’t take long enough. The flow of time felt seriously screwed up, and Ahiru wondered dimly if that was a fae thing too.

“Good evening,” the bear greeted them as he drew up to the curb. “I trust that this night finds you all well?”

“Yeah, we’re good,” Paulo answered. “And you?”

“I am in excellent health, yes. And my mood is most light, for a hope is closer to fulfillment now.” His eerie amber eyes found Ahiru’s, and she swallowed. “Are you ready to depart for your new home, Ahiru?”

“Hold it!” Lilie folded her arms across her chest and strode forward to stand in front of Ahiru. “Where’s our money?” she demanded, sounding like a stock character from a crime show.

“Yeah, c’mon, man.” Pike joined her twin in acting as a barrier. “Cough it up—I thought you were gonna bring it with you?” She gave the bear an exaggerated once-over. “Unless you’ve got like… some kind of magic invisible storage unit in your fur I don’t see any gold or jewels. What gives?”

The bear coughed. “It is… rather difficult to transport untold wealth.”

“Yeah, that’s what they all–”

“Pike, enough.” Paulamoni moved to stand beside the girls, and looked right at the bear. “Look, I understand that you can’t bring that kind of money with you physically. Fair enough. But if you think that you can waltz off into the night with our daughter without some kind of proof that you’re gonna keep your word, you’re–well, you’re wrong,” she amended, obviously catching herself before she said something ruder.

“I understand your doubts. However, I would sooner die than break my word.” The bear pawed at the ground. “By now, the money will have been magically transferred into your bank accounts. If you will but check the balance, you will see this.”

“Uh, right.” Paulo reached into his pocket for his smartphone—the only one they could afford to have—and unlocked it. Meanwhile, Pike was muttering something about how she should’ve put her money on that and now no one had won the betting pool. “Gimme a minute.”

“Are you sure you should do that here?” Paulamoni looked back and forth between the bear and the house. “I don’t know if the wifi will work out here right now with him here, why don’t we just go back in–”

“Dear, if he’s telling the truth, it doesn’t matter if I use up some data,” Paulo interrupted, his eyes not leaving the screen where he was logging into the bank’s site. “I can just…” His voice trailed off, and his face went the color of chalk. “Holy _shit_ …”

“What? What is it?” Despite herself, Paulamoni moved over to stand by her husband, and peered at the screen. Her jaw dropped and her eyes went as wide as they could possibly go. “Oh God… that… I didn’t know numbers that big existed…”

“What? Let me see!” Lilie tried to push her way in between her parents. “Lemme log into mine too! I want to see my fabulous wealth!”

“Me too!” Pike attempted to shove Lilie away. “Let me go next! I’m the older one!”

“No one cares, Pike! I got here first, so wait your turn!”

“No, you—”

“Girls, please...” Paulo recovered his bearings enough to sigh at them. “One at a time.”

Malen joined the huddle too, but didn’t push or shove or yell, simply hovered at the edge to wait her turn. Ahiru watched as Paulo handed the phone to Lilie first—much to Pike’s displeasure—and Lilie logged into her own account. When she saw the number there she shrieked and nearly fainted, recovering miraculously only when Pike said she wasn’t gonna catch her. Then it was Pike’s turn to look at her new windfall.

“Ahiru.”

The bear’s soft voice startled Ahiru as she watched Pike reacting to her money; she nearly left the ground in surprise before turning around to look at him. “Y-yeah? What is it?”

“If you were to check your own account at this time, you would see the same number.” He met her eyes with a steady gaze. “I have not forgotten to take care of you as well. Should you wish to see the proof, I will wait for you to take your turn with your father’s phone.”

“I… okay, sure.” She nodded. It wasn’t that she didn’t trust him to have kept his word, she did, she just wanted to see the number for herself. And maybe spend an extra minute or two with her family before she left.

By now Malen was logging in, and when she saw the amount her face went almost translucent with shock, and she seemed to forget to breathe for a moment. Then her eyes grew large and shiny, and her hands shook. When she finally gave Ahiru the phone, fingers still trembling, she shook her head as if to indicate that she still couldn’t speak, and Ahiru nodded back at her.

Ahiru had to take off her mittens to type in her username and password, and the latter took a couple tries even so, her own fingers were shaking so badly (and she’d never been the best typist anyway). At last, though, her account info came up—the connection seemed to be running slowly even on data, probably due to interference from any natural magic radiating off the bear—it was one more reason people didn’t like being around fae—and she saw the new balance. Ahiru had thought the reactions of her parents and sisters would’ve prepared her for the gigantic number there. It didn’t. She almost dropped the phone in her shock, and after a moment tore her disbelieving eyes away to look around at the rest of her family. How many millions…? Malen gave her a nod and a look that said she understood perfectly what Ahiru was feeling right now. So did the others, even Lilie.

“Are you satisfied, then?” the bear asked.

“I… yeah.” Ahiru looked back at him and nodded. “At least, I am…” She turned to her family. “A-are all of you?”

“Beyond words!” Lilie clasped her hands to her heart and sighed. “My dreams of being an elegant, jet-setting lady of leisure are about to come true! I cannot tha–oof!”

“Dumbass!” Pike hissed, drawing back her elbow. “You’re not supposed to thank them! Don’t you _ever_ remember _anything?_ ”

“C-careful, sister dear,” Lilie said, still wheezing a little. “Or I’ll sue you for assault… I can buy a lawyer now, you know!”

“So can I!” Pike rolled her eyes. “Just try it! I’ll see you in—”

“Girls, this isn’t the time.” Paulamoni cleared her throat and looked at the bear. “All right, as much as I hate to admit it… yes. I am satisfied. And I assume you two are as well?” She cast weary, expectant looks at Paulo and Malen, who both nodded. “I figured.” She sighed again. “Well, then, since that’s done… I guess you two can go.”

“Only if Ahiru is ready to depart.” The bear looked over at her. “Ahiru? What say you? Have you everything you need?”

“Y-yeah.” Ahiru nodded. “I’m all ready to go, I just—can I say goodbye first?”

“Of course.” The bear nodded. “I will give you privacy to say your farewells; come to me when you have finished.”

With that he turned around and walked a short distance back the way he’d come, far enough to be out of earshot, but still very visible. Ahiru swallowed, even as she handed the phone back to her father. “Well, I—I guess this is it…”

Pike was the first to fling herself at Ahiru, wrapping her in a tight hug. “Hey, take care, alright? Remember what I told you and be careful, you’re too trusting of people.”

“I will.” Ahiru tried not to roll her eyes and just returned the hug. “You take care too, okay? I’ll miss you.”

“Of course. I’ll be fine, I always am.”

Pike let go of her, and had scarcely stepped back when Lilie barreled past her, embracing Ahiru so tightly she could barely breathe. “Oh, my dear sister! I will mourn you for all time and never forget you, your memory will live forever in my heart even if you won’t!”

“Lilie, I’m not gonna—ugh, not so tight, I can’t breathe—he’s not gonna eat me! Stop it.”

“So brave!” Lilie sobbed. “So naïve and so brave and so _young!_ Oh! What a cruel world to take you from it so quickly!”

“Lilie, that’s enough.” Paulamoni took hold of Lilie’s shoulders and pried her away from Ahiru. “Go torment your other sister and stop predicting doom, okay?”

“I don’t _need_ to predict it! It’s already happening!” Lilie wailed. She let herself be herded off by Pike, though, and Ahiru breathed easier.

Once the twins were a little ways away, Paulamoni enfolded Ahiru in a hug too. Ahiru returned it, and for a moment neither spoke. For all the differences in their opinions, Ahiru was having trouble imagining what it would be like to live separated from her mom. Then Paulamoni said, softly, “Sweetie, you know it’s not too late to change your mind, right? You can make something up and send him away. We don’t need the money, we really don’t.”

Ahiru let herself remain in her mother’s embrace for a warm moment longer, before she sniffed and pulled away. “No, Mom, I can’t.” Ahiru shook her head. “I already made my choice. I’m gonna go with him.”

“I know. I wish you wouldn’t, though.” Paulamoni’s voice shook.

“Yeah, I know.” Ahiru pulled back and gave her mother the brightest smile she could muster. “It’s gonna be okay, though. Don’t listen to Lilie and get caught up in her doom and gloom crap, alright? I know what I’m doing and I’ll be fine. And we’re still gonna talk when we can, so it’s not like we’re gonna be cut off completely.”

“That’s true.” Paulamoni wiped at her glistening eyes. “Then… go ahead and go, and do what you think is right. I still don’t like it, but I’m gonna do what your father said and trust you.”

“Oh, Mom…” Ahiru’s voice caught. “Thank you. I love you.”

“I love you too.” Paulamoni let go of her. “Now, finish saying goodbye and go, you don’t want to make him angry.”

“Okay.” Ahiru turned around, and nearly bumped into her father. Without a moment’s hesitation, they both wrapped their arms around each other. “Dad…” Ahiru managed after a moment, her voice thick.

“It’s alright.” Paulo hugged her a little tighter. “You’re…” He trailed off, and when he spoke again his voice was unsteady too. “I know I keep saying this, but I just can’t believe how fast you grew up. Especially now, when you’re doing this for us and all. Something you shouldn’t have to do.”

“Dad?” Ahiru frowned. “I—I thought… I thought you were more okay with this than Mom is.”

“I am, mostly, you know that.” He lowered his voice enough so that Paulamoni wouldn’t hear. “I mean, I do trust this bear of yours more than she does, don’t get me wrong.”

“He—he’s not…” Ahiru blushed. “He’s not _my_ bear…”

“You know what I mean.” Paulo chuckled. “I’m not like her, or Lilie—I know you’re not going off to get eaten, and that you’ll be safe. It’s just me wishing again that I’d provided better for you girls and all that. And I guess I feel guilty too, for also being…”

“For being what?” Ahiru asked after a moment.

“Well, I dunno what word I’m looking for here, but I guess your old man’s a little jealous?” He scratched his head and laughed. “I mean, I know you’re kinda making a big sacrifice for us and all that, but I also…” Paulo cast a nervous glance over at Paulamoni, who was talking to Pike and Lilie about something. “Your mom would kill me if she heard me say this, but… I always wanted to see inside a fairy palace, you know?”

“Dad!” Ahiru couldn’t help but giggle. Then she sobered. “You… you really did always believe in them, didn’t you? Even before we knew they were real.”

“I did. You know that.” Paulo sighed. “You and Malen, you always took after me more than you did your mom. So it probably feels like you’re going on an adventure tonight, doesn’t it?”

“A bit,” Ahiru admitted. “I mean, I’m kinda scared, and I’m gonna miss you all, but it’s a little exciting too.”

“I thought so.” Paulo smiled sadly. “And it’s an adventure I’d take for you, if I could, just so you wouldn’t have to go through that fear and sadness, but that’s not how the old stories work, is it?”

“No. It’s not.” Ahiru shook her head. “I mean, I know this is reality, not a story, but those stories came from _somewhere_ , you know? Somewhere real.”

“And some of them are true stories, which… well, you know this already.” Paulo let out his breath. “Anyway, listen—I want you to be careful and all that, but I also want you to take pictures if you can and tell me everything, okay? I want to hear all about this magical fairy palace. Fulfill a silly old man’s dreams, won’t you?”

“Of course I will!” Ahiru nodded. “I promise! We’ll talk a lot, and I’ll even visit when I can!”

“You better.” Paulo let out another sigh. “I’m gonna hold you to that, Ahiru. You come home sometimes and see us all.”

“I will! I promise!” Ahiru swallowed down the lump in her throat. “Bye, Dad. I love you.”

“I love you too.” He gave her another squeeze, and then let her go.

It was Malen’s turn now. She already had tears running down her pale cheeks, and Ahiru wasted no time in throwing her arms around her in a hug. Malen returned it, nearly as tightly as Lilie. “Ahiru…”

“Don’t,” Ahiru murmured. “This isn’t your fault either, any more than it’s Mom’s or Dad’s. Don’t say anything bad about yourself, okay?”

“That’s—would you hate me if I said that’s easier said than done?” She managed a watery laugh at her admittedly pretty poor joke.

“Oh, _geez_.” Ahiru groaned, but laughed. “That’s _terrible!_ ”

“I know.” Malen sobered. “So is this whole situation. I wish—”

“That things were different?” Ahiru interrupted. “I know. Mom and Dad said the same thing. And believe me, I wish it hadn’t come to this either, just cause I feel so bad for leaving you and I hate seeing you all upset. But… it happened, and it’s none of our faults, and now that I’m going things’ll get better. You’re gonna go to that clinic and get treated, and be able to be a famous artist, and we’ll all be living it up. We’ll all be happy, trust me.”

“I trust you. I do.” Malen sniffled. “I’m just gonna miss you. You know that. And part of me will always blame myself. I know you don’t want me to, but I can’t help it.”

“You can’t help it _now_. But eventually you’ll feel better.” Ahiru pulled back and smiled, even as she reached up to wipe Malen’s tears away. “When we’re all rich and happy and safe and you’re doing better, you’ll be glad this happened.”

“I don’t know about that, but I’ll trust you that things are gonna look up at some point.” Malen smiled sadly. “Take care, Ahiru—I’ll watch over Mr. Quackers for you, and you’ll take care of yourself for me. Deal?”

“Deal. You have to promise to be good to yourself too, though!”

“Alright, alright.” Malen laughed a little. “I love you, Ahiru. Talk to you as soon as we can?”

“Of course. Email or telephone or carrier pigeon, I’ll figure out a way to talk to you.” Ahiru wiped at her own eyes, even as she smiled. “And I love you too.”

And that was that. Ahiru walked to the end of the driveway, but stopped as she stepped down onto the asphalt. She turned around and saw her family still standing there, watching her; summoning up her biggest and brightest smile, she lifted her hand and waved at them. They all waved back, even Lilie, who was dramatically clutching an old hand towel as if it was a handkerchief. Any other time Ahiru would’ve rolled her eyes at that, but now it felt like one of the last remnants of a life she was leaving behind, and a weird fondness surged up in her. She let herself watch and wave for a few more seconds, and then continued on her way.

The bear had settled down onto the ground to sit and wait for her, and when she reached him he raised his head. He studied her for a moment, and she could see concern in his eyes. “Will you be able to climb onto my back without assistance?”

“I… think?” Ahiru bit her lip as she studied him in return. “I mean, I should be able to, but… I don’t wanna hurt you trying.”

The bear made a strange sound that seemed like it could’ve been a laugh. “Do not worry about that. Simply do your best. If you require help we can always return to your family and ask them for it.”

That idea struck Ahiru as being incredibly embarrassing. It’d be like when her sisters had to help her hop the wall into the Enchanted Forest, but much worse. “No.” Her lower lip jutted out in a determined pout. “I’ll do it on my own.” Maybe she’d never made it over that wall by herself, but she damn well would make it onto the bear’s back without help. She _would_.

And she did. It took her a few tries, during which she slid right off and fell onto her butt not just once but twice, but eventually she made it onto his back as he lay almost flat on the street, and steadied herself. It wouldn’t have been so bad, except for the fact that she had an audience. Ahiru knew her family was staying outside to watch because they cared about her, but still—it was mortifying to know they were seeing all her failures. She could just imagine what kind of comments Lilie would make if she were close enough to speak to her.

 _Well, she’s not,_ Ahiru reminded herself. _And you’re on your own now, you won’t have to listen to her or Pike be critical tonight, you get a break._ That thought cheered her up. Slightly. She’d miss her family, but not every aspect of their personalities.

“Are you ready now?” the bear asked, rising carefully to his feet once Ahiru had gotten on.

“Um…” Ahiru glanced down, and resettled herself a little. “Y-yeah, I think so…”

He turned his head to look back at her. “Are you frightened?”

“Uh, kinda?” Ahiru admitted.

“Then hold tight to me and do not let go. I will protect you from all harm, you have nothing to fear.”

“Ah, okay…” Ahiru tightened her hold on his fur. “That doesn’t hurt you, does it?”

“No.” He shook his head. “Then, if you are secure, may we depart?”

“Yeah, I guess, just—” Ahiru glanced nervously around. “Is—is it really gonna be okay to travel in the open like this? Won’t people see us and jump to the wrong conclusions, and maybe even try to do something about it?”

“No. You need not worry about such things.” The bear shook his head. “I wore a cloak of illusions as I traveled here, dropping it only when I came within view of your home, and shall cover both of us with it again as we travel to my palace.”

“Oh. Well, that makes…” Ahiru frowned. “Wait, so—those things…” She pointed to one of the ugly iron wards that hung from the porch of the house they were in front of. “Didn’t they interfere with that?”

“No. Those wards can only do us physical harm if we come into direct contact with them. Passing too close can make us feel slightly ill, but that is the extent of the physical effects they have.”

Ahiru’s frown deepened. “There are other effects?”

“In a manner of speaking.” The bear seemed to sigh. “The hatred and fear they represent can be more than a little detrimental to mind and heart.”

“Oh.” Ahiru swallowed. “That… that makes sense…” Her gaze dropped to his fur. Over the past week she’d done a little bit of reading, and knew now that he could never pass as a true polar bear. Up close, she could see that his fur truly was white, rather than transparent, and it looked to be thick and silky soft instead of coarse and rough. It really did shine in the moonlight, and had an almost pearlescent sheen to it. “I—I’m sorry…”

“You’ve done nothing wrong, and have nothing to apologize for.” His voice softened. “Now, if you will wait a moment, I will put up the spell around us once more, and then we will depart.”

“Okay.”

As soon as she said it, his magic rose around them, blanketing them like a light mist, only it seemed—for an all-too-brief moment—to be a pale pink color, and to have the appearance of a sea of flower petals engulfing them. There was a faint floral scent to it as well, teasing her senses, and she tried to decide if it smelled familiar, and what flower it could be. Ahiru quickly gave up, though, because she really didn’t know that much about flowers and couldn’t tell a lot of them apart just by sniffing them.

“There. We shall now be protected from the eyes of humans,” the bear said. “So, if there is nothing else you require of me, we shall leave.”

Ahiru took one last look back down the street. Her family was still watching them. Or looking in their direction, at least. Her throat tightened, but she nodded and looked away from them. “Yeah. Let’s go.”

“Very well.”

And so they were off. Having never ridden a horse before, she didn’t know what to expect, and had nothing to compare it to. It was more comfortable than she’d thought, setting to rest one of her worries; maybe he’d used some sort of magic to ensure that she wasn’t in pain. Paulamoni kind of had a point about sending a car, because this really was very strange if she thought about it, but at the same time there was something exciting and fun about it too. Like something out of a fairy tale. Like something Paulo would have read to her as a bedtime story when she was a child. And she’d never really been out traveling at night, not like this, so there was a certain appeal to seeing the world the way it was when she was usually safe in her room at home.

The bear took her out of Lakeshore Village, and turned down the road she used to walk to The Buzz on. He passed the pixie tree, passed Madam Mallow’s—now closed down for the night, its windows shuttered and dark—and passed The Buzz. He passed all the familiar things she’d ever seen on that road, and turned down one that her family had never taken. Despite her trepidation, Ahiru felt a frisson of fresh excitement deep inside. There’d always been something mysterious and intriguing to her about roads she’d never seen or been on, as if they’d lead her to somewhere wondrous and magical. Logically, she knew that they most likely just led to other places as ordinary as those familiar to her, but the wonder still remained. It surged up in her now as she was carried away from her home and into unknown territory.

The road he took her down led, at first, to more shopping centers. Ahiru looked from side to side and saw a closed Gamestop and a nail salon, among others she couldn’t read the names of in the dark, alongside other businesses still lit up: McDonald’s, Taco Bell, Kmart, and a 24-hour Rite-Aid. Cars whizzed past them on the road, going in and out of the parking lots or traveling to some other place, but true to what he’d told her no one noticed them, thanks to his spell. The bear somehow managed to avoid stepping in all the trash that littered the ground, his huge paws remaining pristine despite having trod on grass and dirt. Ahiru turned her head and shielded her eyes from the streetlights so she could look up at the stars.

Past the shopping complexes and restaurants were motels and a couple of auto service places, plus a pawn shop and a laundromat. The laundromat was still open too, and Ahiru could faintly hear the washers and dryers going. They would’ve continued on into a stretch where there were only dark, closed-up office buildings, but he turned at an intersection and went through a residential area. This one was a lot nicer than the ones Ahiru was used to—not quite a gated community, but in better shape and with more well-maintained houses and yards of a bigger size than the homes in Lakeshore Village. She could see some of the residents through their lit-up windows, and she felt a pang at every laughing, happy family. She didn’t regret her choice, but she did miss her parents and sisters already.

“Do you see now how the spell shields us from unwanted attention?” the bear asked abruptly, startling Ahiru slightly as she idly took note of various details about the houses they passed. Someone had just pulled into their driveway a few feet away, and didn’t even react to the giant polar bear strolling on by.

“Yeah, I do.” Ahiru watched the person lock up their car and walk inside. “You said you used it on the way to my house… do you use it all the time?”

“Indeed.” He made that strange laughing noise again. “I have used it all through my travels to escape notice by humans. Though I think you managed to feel my gaze upon you anyway, the day I came to you and your family.”

It all came back to her in a rush—that strange sensation of feeling eyes on her as she tied her shoes, the chill that had gone down her spine, that prickle on her scalp—and she gaped down at him. “That—that was _you?_ ”

“Yes.” The bear stopped in front of a house whose lawn was festooned with garden gnomes of varying colors and sizes. “Forgive me, but I needed to see who you were, to gain an understanding of your character, so I spent some time watching you from afar. And when I saw you gift those pixies with some of your own food that you’d just purchased, it sealed everything. I knew then that you were the one I sought.”

“Oh.” Ahiru stared down at his fur, at where it seemed to glimmer in her hands. She didn’t know how to feel about what he'd just said. “Well, I—I just—I wanted to help them, I wanted—I wanted them to know that not everyone hates them and wants them to go away, that’s all…”

“It was an act of kindness I have seen from few enough in these cold days. It told me everything I need to know about you and your precious, pure heart.” He began walking again. “Never be ashamed of your compassionate nature, Ahiru.”

“I’m not, I just—” Ahiru bit her lip. “No, never mind.”

“Very well.”

They both fell silent again, and less than a minute later they came to the end of the neighborhood. Not far beyond it was the highway. It was bordered on both sides by wide strips of land dotted with many, many trees, and it was onto one of these that the bear made his way. The noise and smell of traffic was their companion now as he walked, weaving in and out of the trees. Ahiru didn’t think he’d let her get hit by a branch, but she found herself ducking and cringing all the same. Off to her left people were honking their horns at someone who kept changing lanes and cutting people off, and the sound seemed somehow surreal and out of place.

The trip down the highway seemed to take about half an hour, maybe forty-five minutes. They weren’t even at one of the exits when the bear abruptly turned and headed off to the right, as if he’d changed his mind, or seen something to distract him from his course. Ahiru held tight to him and kept her head down and her shoulders hunched as he passed through more trees, only to eventually emerge on the side of an empty road. It only had two lanes, and long stretches of nothingness on either side. There were a couple dark shapes off in the distance, but other than that there were no buildings, and not even any trees. The bear crossed the street without pausing and continued on his way.

One of the dark shapes on the horizon turned out, when they drew nearer, to be the ruins of an old stone house with a crumbling brick chimney. Ahiru thought it was abandoned, but then a pair of glowing eyes appeared in one of the dark windows. She turned away quickly, and looked back up at the sky. Out here in the countryside there was a little less light pollution, and she could see the stars more clearly. Was that Andromeda she was looking at, over above the gently rolling hills on their left? It seemed to be. Ahiru was no expert on constellations, but Malen had had an interest in them years ago, and Ahiru had entertained herself more than once as a teenager by looking through Malen’s astronomy books. She didn’t remember all of them, but a few had stuck in her mind. A small smile spread over her face. She’d have to tell Malen about this when she got the chance. If only she could take a picture for her, but her phone was stuffed deep inside her backpack.

The bear continued on that road for a while, and then, as abruptly as when he’d left the highway, turned right again and began cutting across the open countryside. He carried her over fields and past a farm where everyone had already gone to bed, onto a thin dirt trail that eventually led them to a forest of evergreen trees. Ahiru gulped and braced herself just before he entered the woods. It’d be just like going through the Enchanted Forest. Not really that different. No big deal. She repeated those things in her head a few times as reassurance, and tried to relax.

How long they traveled under the dark canopy she didn’t know. Time seemed to stretch on as endlessly as the forest itself. Ahiru tried not to yawn, but it was hard not to feel a little sleepy now, after such a long journey already, and when they were going through a place so dark. All around her she could hear the rustling of leaves and undergrowth, and what sounded like footsteps. She could even hear what sounded like voices murmuring to one another. Were there dryads in this wood? It seemed probable. Aside from the occasional glimmer in the distance that Ahiru thought might be a stray will o’ the wisp, she couldn’t really see anything in the gloom past about an inch away from the pale glow of the bear’s fur. How was he navigating them through? Fairies must be able to see in the dark, she decided with a slight shrug, and didn’t worry about it anymore.

At some point, though, she was able to notice that the ground seemed to be sloping upwards, rising beneath their feet even as the temperature of the air around them fell. Ahiru clung to the bear, shivering and uttering silent prayers that it wouldn’t get too steep for her to stay on his back. And it did get steep, as she feared, but not so much that she couldn’t hang onto him, though her face wound up pressed into his fur. It really was soft and silky, and it had that same faint, elusive floral scent that his magic had. Which was a good thing—who wanted to shove their face into some kind of nasty odor? Not her. She was clutching onto it so tightly that it _had_ to be hurting him now, but he didn’t complain or make any noises of pain. A small miracle. Ahiru took that as a sign that it was okay not to loosen her grip, which made her feel selfish at the same time that it made her feel safer to have a strong hold on him. It seemed necessary, after all, since there was no way she could wrap her legs around him to gain hold that way.

Finally, after a long, tense eternity in which Ahiru squeezed her eyes shut more than once and prayed even harder that she wouldn’t fall off, the ground leveled out and they emerged from the forest. The bear came to a slow stop, letting Ahiru straighten up and readjust her position on his back. They were on some kind of wide, snowy mountain path now, and she blinked several times. Snow? Just how high up were they that there was _snow_ here? For that matter, how the hell could they even be there at all? There weren’t any mountains like this anywhere near where she lived. This shouldn’t have been possible. At all. And yet here they were.

Ahiru took a moment to recover from that initial shock, and then began to try and take in her surroundings. She made the mistake of looking left first, and was greeted by the horrifying sight of a steep drop into a chasm that disappeared into inky darkness. Shuddering, she turned away, focusing her attention on the faintly sparkling cliff side to her right. Little crystals jutted out of the rock, draped in a thin coating of ice that resembled powdered sugar on a donut, and she almost wanted to reach out and touch them. But something about the way the light caught their rough facets distracted her, and she found herself looking away upwards, to the sky.

And then she gasped.

Hovering high above her head, cloaking the heavens in brilliant colors, was something Ahiru had up to now seen only in photographs. Curtains of translucent light, green and blue and pink and violet, swayed and shimmered before a backdrop of a billion stars, lending a gentle glow to everything beneath them. So bright, so beautiful—Ahiru had to remind herself to breathe as she stared up at the aurora. And her eyes, her eyes were starting to fill with tears. She reached up to wipe at them, not wanting anything to blur her view. Was that a soft swishing sound she heard, faintly from above? She strained her ears to try and listen better.

“You have never seen the northern lights before?” the bear asked.

“No.” Ahiru shook her head. “Not like this. I mean, I’ve seen pictures, but…”

“Still images do not do justice to such a display.”

“No. No, they really don’t.” She swallowed past the lump in her throat. “This is so different, this is…”

“It is what?” he asked after a long pause.

“I don’t know.” Ahiru shook her head. “I—I’m trying to think of what to say, what words to pick, but I can’t come up with anything good enough. Sorry…”

“No. It is fine.” The bear shook his head too. “In any case, I must keep moving. And I suggest your eyes remain on the sky as I do, for the path I must take will seem terrifying to you. The lights will be a comfort and distraction.”

“Uh, okay.” Ahiru spared a quick glance at the scenery directly ahead of her; one look at the twisting, narrowing path was enough to convince her to listen to him. So she gulped down a chilly breath and refocused on the lightshow up above.

And, as he’d told her, it really was a comfort and a distraction. She still felt prickles of fear twisting at her stomach as he carried her down the mountain path, but looking at the aurora calmed her. They were like glowing sheets of gossamer, hung from invisible hooks and swaying in a heavenly breeze. Every once in awhile she thought she heard a soft crackling from them. The bear walked all the way down the mountain and then took her to another one, ascending an equally treacherous-looking path. This one was even taller than the last, tall enough that when they reached its peak Ahiru found it difficult to breathe, and the aurora seemed to be all around her, like a cloak of light. This time she did reach out her hand, wanting to touch it and see what it felt like. It was still too far away for her to make contact with it, but it was a magical moment all the same before they began to descend the other side of the mountain.

Ahiru found she could breathe easier once they’d gotten to the bottom again, for multiple reasons. The thought of going up another mountain both scared and excited her, but the bear instead took her into a narrow gorge with a stream running through it. There was just enough dry land for him to walk on, though he had to cross the water multiple times in order to get from one strip of shore to the next. Eventually the distant end got closer, and Ahiru leaned forward eagerly, wondering what she’d see next.

She gasped again as the cliffs parted and they came out from between them. The stream disappeared into a distant grove, on the far side of the valley they’d just come into, a valley vast enough that Ahiru felt like all of Twin Pines could comfortably be transported here and still have plenty of room. It was ringed all around by snow-capped mountains under the starry sky, and in its center, bordered by a lake on its left side that  shone like polished glass, stood a massive palace that looked like it had been carved out of ice or crystal, gleaming in the moonlight and reflecting the colors of the aurora. Ahiru’s breath caught in her throat as she stared at its towering spires and crystalline surface.

“We have arrived,” the bear said, perhaps a bit unnecessarily; despite her awe, Ahiru had to suppress a laugh at that thought. “Welcome, Ahiru, to what is not only my home, but yours now as well. Welcome to Schwanensee Palace.”

“Wow,” Ahiru breathed. “It’s so beautiful…”

“I am pleased that you like it.” The bear turned his head to look at her, and he really did sound happy with the awe in her voice. “Now then, I must ask you—did you eat before we departed on this journey? Or shall I rouse the kitchen staff and have them prepare you a meal?”

“Oh no, you don’t need to do that!” Ahiru shook her head. “I had dinner before you got to my house, don’t worry. I’m not hungry. Kinda tired, but not hungry.”

As she said it, something in the air around her seemed to change, as if a spell had been broken. No, to be more precise it felt like—it felt like an illusion cast on her had just fallen away. Just… just _how_ long had they been traveling, anyway? It hadn’t felt like that long when they were on the road, not much longer than the two and a half hours or so it usually took to get to their grandparents’ house, but now that they were here, that didn’t make any sense. Granted, she didn’t have the best sense of direction, but she still knew enough geography to realize that they couldn’t be anywhere even remotely near Twin Pines. The landscapes they’d traveled in, the one they were in now, were completely alien. Most tellingly, though, the full moon that had just barely been visible when she’d been waiting on the driveway was now directly above them, and Ahiru definitely didn’t remember seeing it rise on their trip. How far had they _really_ traveled? Why didn’t it feel like it had taken as long as it should’ve? Time suddenly felt strangely distorted, much like it had on the driveway back home. She should’ve been more tired. She should’ve been hungry. But she wasn’t.

“Understandable. It has been a long trip.” The bear nodded, seemingly unaware of Ahiru’s sudden discomfort and confusion. “Very well. I’ll show you to your room, and then let you sleep. You can explore the palace at your leisure tomorrow.”

“Alright.” Ahiru yawned, not bothering to stifle it now.

The bear walked on across the valley, towards the sprawling palace before them. As they got closer Ahiru was better able to see the intricacies of the architecture, its beautifully-carved columns and friezes, though she couldn’t actually make out what the latter were depicting. When they reached the enormous double doors, several feet taller than the bear when he stood on his hind legs and bearing carvings of a single swan on each, he halted. “Ahiru, this is where I must ask you to dismount, for I cannot open the gate while you are on my back.”

“Ah, yeah, that makes sense. Okay.” Ahiru waited for him to lower himself down to the ground enough, and then slid carefully off his back. She stepped away once she had, and watched him rear up on his hind legs and walk forward. He planted his two huge front paws on the doors, and gave them a gentle shove. They swung open almost soundlessly—only the slightest silvery tinkling accompanied their movement—and the bear dropped back down to all fours, sending a small tremor through where they stood.

He turned his head to look at her. “Follow me.”

“Alright.”

Ahiru followed him, into a grand entrance hall illuminated only by the light of the moon and stars that streamed in from the windows on either side. The windows were as tall as the doors, and stretched on into the dark abyss that was the narrower hall at the very back. An impressive double staircase with banisters that had been carved, seemingly out of ice, to resemble swans with ridiculously long wings stood in the center of the room, leading up and up and up, to multiple floors she couldn’t see the end of, even if she craned her neck until it hurt. He led her to the foot of the stairs and up the left side. Ahiru paused before heading after him, tugging off her mittens to tentatively touch the banister. She sagged a little in relief as she felt it—it wasn’t really made of ice, just crystal. Ahiru clung to it as she climbed up towards the third floor of the palace, hoping and praying that she wouldn’t trip and fall on the plush rug that carpeted the stairs. Would it _really_ have hurt anyone to leave some lights on? Even in the dark she could see what looked like glass sconces in the walls. Why weren’t they lit up? It wasn’t like he couldn’t afford to pay his electric bill. At least it wasn’t as chilly as it looked; she couldn’t hear the noise of a heating system, but she could feel a gentle warmth washing over her nonetheless, making her fingers a little less stiff.

At the end of their ascent the bear turned and took her down another hall to her left. On and on he walked, until he came to another set of double doors and halted. “This will be your bedchamber. I hope it is comfortable enough for you.”

“I—I’m sure it is.” Ahiru grasped the handle and pushed one of the doors open. Expecting another dark room, she was pleasantly surprised to find that someone had been considerate enough to leave a single lamp on, one with a shade made of red glass that cast a pleasant warm glow over the room. It sat on a table made of a beautiful, dark red wood that looked freshly polished, beside a truly massive four-poster canopy bed made from the same wood. Ahiru couldn’t help but gape at it. Was that a king-size mattress? No, it looked even bigger than what she’d seen in commercials and online ads. What was she supposed to _do_ with all that sleeping space? Back at home she’d only ever had a twin bed, and that was perfectly fine for someone as tiny as she was. Could she really fall asleep in such a thing? She could get _lost_ in a bed like this.

Hell, she could get lost in a _room_ like this. The entire downstairs portion of her family’s townhouse could fit in here, and maybe even the upstairs too. That huge bed was at the center of the far wall, flanked by two wide windows that stretched from ceiling to floor and were currently covered by thick curtains made of white and gold brocade. To the left of where she stood now was a sitting room type of area, with a table and chair made of wood that matched the rest of the furniture, a fireplace, a tall bookshelf, and what looked like an empty curio cabinet. At the end was another door. On the other side of the room sat a huge golden sofa and a glass coffee table with something dark and rectangular on it—was that a laptop? And mounted on the wall opposite the couch, above another fireplace, was the biggest flat-screen TV she’d ever seen. Ahiru hadn’t even known they came in sizes that big. There was yet another door at the end, and it too was closed. The vastness of it all made her feel even smaller than she already was, and despite that it was fully furnished the room felt empty in a way that the cluttered little room she shared with Malen never had. Cold, too, even though the air was just as warm as it'd been while they climbed the stairs.

“That door leads to your bathroom,” the bear said from behind her. “And the other to the walk-in closet where you will find the wardrobe that has been purchased for you. If it isn’t to your liking, then you need only say the word, and other clothes will be procured for you.”

“Oh…th—I mean, that’s very nice of you,” Ahiru amended, catching herself before she uttered the taboo words. Never directly thank a fae. “Who do I tell, though? You?”

“Oh yes, about that.” He followed her into the room a short ways. “There—do you see the bell that lies upon your bedside table?”

“Uh, lemme go check.” Ahiru crossed the room in a hurry. The floors looked to be made of cold white marble, as did the walls, but there were thick, plush rugs in a pale shade of gold on each side of the bed and in various other places around the room, like between the couch and the coffee table, and beside the fireplaces. Just as he’d said, there was a small bell on the bedside table, seemingly made of glass, with veins of silver running all through it. “Yeah, it’s here. What’s it do?”

“You have only but to ring it, and assistance will be provided to you.”

“Oh, okay.” Ahiru ran a finger idly down the bell’s handle. Ringing a bell to get help for something—that sounded like something out of one of the British period dramas her mother loved watching. And what a jarring difference from doing everything yourself, or just shouting for someone else. _Was_ there anyone in shouting distance of this room? Hard to say for sure, but it’d kinda felt a bit empty and deserted as they walked down the hall. It was more like a weird feeling she had than anything concrete, but it was hard to shake all the same. “I’ll try it out tomorrow, I guess.”

“Yes, that seems like a good idea.” She heard him yawn as she continued studying the bell, but more than that, it felt like she was being watched—did he sense her ambivalence about her surroundings? “Now then, if you have no further need of me I must leave you, for my weariness overcomes me just as yours weighs on you. I will see you tomorrow, Ahiru—until then, goodnight.”

“Okay, goodn—oh, hey, wait…”

She turned around just as his footsteps stopped, just at the door. He looked at her with concern in his eyes. “What is it? Is there something wrong?”

“No, nothing’s wrong, just…” Ahiru drew a deep breath. She had her mittens in one hand, and was nervously slapping them against her other hand. “I don’t know your name, you know? And if I’m gonna live here with you, I kinda need to, so I have something to call you when we talk. And I don’t want to just think of you as ‘bear’ in my head.”

“Ah… yes, I suppose you’re right.” The bear considered her for a moment. “Then, if it pleases you… call me Mytho.”

“Mytho.” Ahiru tried it out, and found herself smiling just a little. She didn’t know why, really, except that maybe it made him, made everything about this, feel just a bit more real. Up to now it’d been like walking through a dream, and she’d almost sort of watched it from a distance, as if the current events of her life were just a movie happening to someone else. But now she had a name to attach to this fairy creature who’d provided for her family and taken her on a magical nighttime journey far from home, and that grounded things to some degree. “It’s nice. I like it.”

“Do you?” Mytho seemed to smile then, and she could feel warmth radiating from him. It shone in his eyes and settled down inside her too, alleviating some of her unease. “I am glad. Do you, perhaps… feel better for knowing it?”

He _could_ tell. Ahiru blushed. “A—a little,” she admitted. “It—it’s not that I don’t like it here, it’s just…” She wrung her hands, trying to find the right words.

“Your first night in a strange place, far from home. I understand, Ahiru.” Something flickered in his eyes. “I do hope that you will come to love my palace in time, however.”

“Oh, I’m sure I will! I just… I just have to get used to it, is all.” Ahiru shuffled nervously. She wasn’t at all sure, honestly, but she didn’t want to hurt his feelings. He looked so _hopeful_ , after all, and she remembered his weariness and sadness that she’d seen the night they first met. It was a little weird, but there was just something about his eyes that made her reluctant to hurt him, that made her want to see him happy. To see a true smile on his face, huge bear teeth and all. “I just need time, you know? I have to settle in, and explore, and spend time with you, and all that good stuff…”

“True enough.” That ghost of a smile was back, and her heart lifted. “Very well, then, I shall bid you goodnight, and hope that you sleep well, this first night in your new home.”

“I’m sure I will.” Ahiru smiled, and muffled her own yawn behind her hand. “Goodnight, Mytho.”

“Goodnight, Ahiru. May your dreams be as sweet as you are.”

“I! Um, well, I’ll…” She trailed off as she watched him leave, blushing even harder, and then crossed the room again and closed the door behind him.

The second it clicked shut it was like everything—her exhaustion, her fear, the strangeness of her new surroundings, how much she missed her family—fell on her all at once, and she almost staggered under the weight of it. Ahiru’s shoulders slumped, and she let her breath out in a long sigh as she leaned her head against the door. She stood there for a moment, and then dragged herself back across the room once more. There was a wide wooden chest at the foot of the bed, and she dumped her backpack onto it. Unzipping the backpack, she rummaged through it and pulled out the pajamas she’d packed. Sure, there were probably some in that walk-in closet, but she wasn’t in any kind of mood to go poking around in there trying to find them, and she longed for the comfort of her worn hand-me-downs. Ahiru changed into them, left her clothes and shoes on the floor, and crawled into her new bed, just barely managing to turn out the light before collapsing onto the pillows and falling asleep almost instantly.

 

* * *

 

Several hours later Ahiru awoke, feeling refreshed and a little sore from a long ride on a bear’s back. She rubbed her eyes and yawned, but stayed put at first. Her first instinct was to throw the covers off and scramble out of bed, thinking she was gonna be late for work, but then she remembered: she had no job to get to. For over a week now she hadn’t. And… she wasn’t at home anymore. At least, not the home she was used to. She’d woken up facing the side where normally she’d see Malen’s bed, but… it wasn’t there. Ahiru stared at the wall on the far side and that closed door, listening to the silence that pressed down on her instead of the noise of Malen breathing or the twins arguing over something stupid—it was always something stupid with them—over in the next room. And when the quiet and solitude finally got to be too much for her, she finally did toss the covers back and walk over to the window so she could open the curtains. Once she’d done it for one window she headed around to the other side of the bed and threw open the other curtains too. It was a beautiful day, clear and bright and as cloudless as the night before. She had a marvelous view of the mountains and the lake from here, and Ahiru took a moment to just bask in it before turning around to take a better look at her bed. In the full light of day, she could see everything much better. Including the canopy she hadn’t bothered to pull closed last night. It was comprised of layers of sheer, shimmery fabric with elaborate golden embroidery woven throughout, and tied to the bedposts with matching gold rope. The thick comforter that had helped keep her so warm last night was white with gold embroidery too, and the sheets were crisp and white. Those pillows, too, had been so fluffy and soft and perfect. Ahiru smiled a little sadly down at them. Nice as they were, they were still something she was going to have to get used to.

Shaking off the melancholy that had come over her, Ahiru turned and headed for the door on the far side of the room that Mytho had said was for the bathroom. And then stopped short once she’d turned the knob and opened it.

“Wow…”

It was the biggest bathroom she’d ever seen, even bigger than her parent’s entire bedroom and bathroom, plus one of the other bedrooms. The wall to her right was covered by a huge mirror, beneath which was a long counter made of what looked like granite or quartz, white and sparkling in the light that had gone on automatically when she opened the door. Two mother-of-pearl vessel sinks—two! Her parents’ master bath only had one sink!—had been mounted there, with shiny silver and crystal faucets to go with, and a neat line of various lotions and skincare products in between, plus hand soap and toothpaste. It was clean, too, sparklingly, _perfectly_ clean. Everything in order and without a speck of dirt or dust or… well, having never seen a bathroom in such good condition, Ahiru knew there were tons of possibilities here for stuff to dirty it up. She’d never have to share this bathroom with anyone, or wait for someone else to stop using it before she came in. And when she did come in, she wouldn’t see a brush full of blonde hair on the counter, or foundation spilled in the sink alongside globs of toothpaste. The floor would never be littered with used q-tips, not unless she did that herself. Ahiru sighed. She never thought she’d miss shit like that, or the sound of Lilie screech-singing in the shower with Pike groaning at her to stop in between nagging everyone else about the mess, but here she was, missing it so much her chest ached. The cleanliness was nice, but for now there was just a bit too much of it. More stuff to get accustomed to.

She tore her eyes off the counter and made herself look at the rest of the room. There was a truly massive bathtub that looked big enough for even Mytho to curl up in, with all kinds of options and what looked like spa jets, plus a shelf on the wall above it containing an assortment of bubble baths, bath salts, and bath bombs, and a huge shower that also had crapton of options and various showerheads and. Hair care products and soaps were in there too. And there was even—oh, this was _ridiculous_ —a luxury toilet with some kind of control panel. Was this really how rich people lived? It was like… well, it was like all the stupid shit Lilie had been talking about buying with her newfound fortune, brought to overdone life right in front of her. Ahiru found herself torn between two impulses. One was to roll her eyes at the sheer excess of it. The other was to just give in and enjoy the sort of over the top accommodations she’d never had the chance to try out.

Some kind of combination of both won out. By the time she emerged from the bathroom, freshly showered and clad in an almost impossibly fluffy bathrobe, Ahiru was starving. It’d been a very long time since her TV dinner, after all. So she walked back to her bedside table and rang the bell Mytho had told her about.

In all fairness, Ahiru hadn’t been sure what she’d been expecting to happen when she first rang it. But whatever it was, it certainly wasn’t this. A small whirlwind materialized in the center of the room, and then coalesced into a young, pretty woman with long brown hair, olive skin, and long, slender, translucent wings that extended from the back of her purple peasant dress. Ahiru stared. So did the woman.

The winged woman was the first to recover. “Ah! And a good morning to you! I presume you are our new guest?” She had a lovely, lilting voice.

“Uh…” Ahiru blinked several times. “Y-yeah. Yeah, I am. I’m Ahiru, who’re you?”

“Call me Raetsel!” She curtsied, and Ahiru noticed for the first time that her feet weren’t touching the floor. “I’m the housekeeper here. And how might I assist you at the present time?”

“Um, well…” Ahiru pulled her robe a little tighter around herself. “I just wanted to know where I could go to get breakfast…?”

“Where you could—oh, no need for that.” Raetsel shook her head and smiled. “Now that you live here, you don’t need to make your own breakfast. Just tell me what you want and I’ll have the kitchen whip it up for you.” She clapped her hands together and tilted her head to the side as if completely delighted by that fact. “You can eat both breakfast and lunch in your room, but I’ve been told to inform you that dinner will be served in the formal dining room on the first floor every night.”

“Uh, okay.” Ahiru frowned. The bit about dinner was kinda weird, but it wasn’t her biggest concern right now. “How come I can’t just go and make my own breakfast? I’m used to doing that, it’s not that big a deal.”

“I’m sure you are, but that isn’t how things are done around here.” Raetsel shook her head. “You’ve been brought here to live with us, so now we’ll take care of the cooking for you, among other things. You won’t have to lift a finger.” She paused, taking stock of Ahiru’s expression, and frowned back at her. “Is that—do I—does that make you uncomfortable?”

“Not really, it’s just…” Ahiru stopped, and tried to figure out what to say so she didn’t offend Raetsel. “It’s not you, I promise, I just… I didn’t know what to expect when I rang the bell, Mytho didn’t explain anything about it, and I’m so used to doing everything myself that it’s weird to think of someone else doing it for me, and honestly I feel kind of bad?” Her face burned. “You shouldn’t have to wait on me like I’m a princess or something, I’m really not, I’m just a regular person, and if I’m gonna live here, not just be a guest, I feel like I ought to pull my own weight.”

“Oh… well… that I understand.” Raetsel seemed to relax a little. “But you really shouldn’t feel any guilt over this, it’s what we’re here for. This is my _job_. You aren’t bothering me, if that’s what you think.”

“Yeah, I kinda do feel like I am,” Ahiru said, twisting the end of the robe’s sash in her hands. “You were probably busy with something and then I just thoughtlessly rang the bell and you had to rush up here to wait on me and I just… I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be.” Raetsel shook her head. “I told you, it’s my job. Now, what would you like to eat for breakfast?”

“Um… well…” Ahiru thought about it. If it was Raetsel's job, then that wasn't so bad, she could feel better about that. After all, she'd never felt put out by the polite customers at The Buzz. She just had to adjust to being on the other end for once, was all. “Wh-what do you have?”

“Anything you would like.” Raetsel spread her hands wide. “We always have a fully-stocked kitchen, so order whatever you’re in the mood for.”

“Oh… well, in that case…” Ahiru thought some more. “Maybe… some French toast? And whatever fruit you have on hand?” Back home French toast was a rare treat, so why not indulge herself her first morning here? “Is that okay?”

“Of course.” Raetsel nodded. “And to drink?”

“Oh! Oh yeah! Um, I’ll have…” Ahiru pondered. “Maybe… some orange juice? And tea?”

“We have both, yes.” Raetsel smiled. "And what kind of tea would you prefer?"

"Er…" This was fairly new for her. At The Buzz, the only options were plain black, plain green, and chamomile. Not even her dad's favorite, Earl Grey, much to his disappointment the one time he'd come in. And at home she never bothered to buy any for herself, since it took too long to brew and she always seemed to be pressed for time in the morning. "What do you have?"

"A wide variety of blends, actually. But perhaps it should be kept simple for you just now?" When Ahiru nodded, Raetsel went on. "We have black, green, white, and oolong. What catches your fancy at the moment?"

"Oh! Oolong, please!" She'd had it once a few years ago, when their grandparents had treated them to dinner at a fancy Chinese restaurant, and remembered really liking it.

Raetsel nodded. “Very well, I’ll inform the kitchen, and when your food is finished I’ll be right back with it.”

“Alright, th—I mean, I’m looking forward to it.” Ahiru forced her wince into an awkward smile as Raetsel vanished in another whirlwind of air. She then went over to the nearby table and sank down into the chair to wait, burying her face in her hands. That could’ve gone better. She _really_ needed to watch herself so she didn’t slip up and accidentally insult someone.

If she had to guess, she would’ve said that Raetsel was a sylph. All the hallmarks of one were there, according to what she knew about them. They were spirits of the air, which matched Raetsel’s entrances and exits in whirls of air, had delicate, dragonfly-like wings just like the ones that poked out of Raetsel’s dress, and their feet never touched the ground. And despite the length of Raetsel’s gown obscuring her feet, it'd still been easy to see that she really had been hovering over the floor. Ahiru wasn’t going to ask, though—that was several different kinds of rude. But it made sense, and honestly she’d kinda wondered how the hell that bell was supposed to work, anyway. Once again, Mytho was really bad at explaining everything. Though, to be fair to him, he’d been exhausted last night too. Maybe even more so than she’d been, given that he was the one that'd actually walked all this way from her house to the palace. So she couldn’t really fault him for not explaining in depth at the time.

After a minute or so of sitting, Ahiru got bored. Or, more accurately, she realized that just sitting and waiting for her meal was gonna be pretty boring. So she got up and wandered over to the walk-in closet. After this room in itself and the bathroom she was more prepared for something huge, but that still didn’t quite do justice to what she found in there. Closet? This closet was bigger than the bedroom she shared with Malen _and_ Pike and Lilie’s room _and_ their parents’ room, combined. And it was _full_. Full of clothes and shoes and socks and underwear, everything she could want and need. Not only that, but such _nice_ clothes. Ahiru gaped at them all before walking further in, and around the perimeter of the closet. Obviously they had to be fae-made clothing, the kind that automatically fit you thanks to the magic woven into the fabric. Fresh excitement shimmied through her. She’d never even gotten to try on such a thing, much less owned it! This was going to be a blast. The only problem was deciding what to put on first.

A little while and several clothing changes later, she’d chosen a sparkly blue sweater and a long, lacy white skirt, nearly crying from happiness every time something fit her body perfectly. After years and years of hand-me-downs in poor condition, now she had a wardrobe to be envied that wasn’t too big for her slight frame. Maybe it was silly of her to be so pleased about it, but she couldn’t help it. Wiping at her eyes, Ahiru grabbed a blue ribbon and used it to tie the end of her long braid before heading back into the bedroom.

Just in time, too—as soon as she got back out there, knee socks in hand, Raetsel rematerialized, carrying a tray full of food. “Oh! Ahiru! I see you found the clothes!” Raetsel smiled and set the tray down on the table. “Are they to your liking? You certainly look lovely in that ensemble!”

“Yeah, they’re awesome!” Ahiru beamed at her, her happiness over the clothes temporarily overriding her nervousness around Raetsel. “I had so much trouble deciding what to wear, there’s so many wonderful things in there! And they all fit!”

“Of course. They’re specially made to do just that.” Raetsel extended her hand to indicate the food. “Now, go right ahead and enjoy your meal. If you need anything else, please do ring the bell, and don’t fret so much about bothering me.”

“Alright, I will.” Ahiru nodded, swallowing down the ‘thanks’ that she instinctively wanted to say. “See you then.”

Raetsel smiled. “Yes, I will.”

Ahiru sighed as Raetsel vanished, and sat down to the tantalizing meal before her. That was the one bad thing about interacting with fairies: that damn taboo around saying “thank you”. She knew none of them wanted to hear it, but it was hard to not be able to show her gratitude for all that they were already doing for her. It made her feel so rude, even though she knew she was technically being polite. She was going to have to choose all her words carefully around them, really.

Her inability to properly express her gratitude only grew to be more of a problem once she got a good look at her meal, and took the first bite. Ahiru had always loved Paulamoni’s French toast, but she had to admit that this was even better. Thick-cut slices of fragrant, delicately spicy cardamom bread had been drizzled in honey that tasted _way_ better than the store-brand she’d grown up on, and sprinkled generously with powdered sugar too. And the fruit she’d asked for—what even _was_ this? She’d expected berries or something, not a plate of poached pears in a sweet syrup redolent with spices. To top it off, the orange juice tasted freshly squeezed, not out of a carton, and the oolong had been brewed perfectly. She couldn’t devour it all fast enough.

Later, after she was done, Ahiru wandered the room some more. The bookshelf she’d seen last night actually didn’t have anything in it, and neither did the curio cabinet—maybe she was meant to fill them both up herself? Probably. And the thing on the table really _was_ a laptop. That raised some more questions, and since she needed to have her breakfast dishes taken away anyway, Ahiru rang the bell again.

“Yes?” Raetsel asked as she appeared. “What can I do for you, Ahiru? Do you want me to take these away?” She gestured at the table.

“Yeah, but not yet.” Ahiru set the bell back down. “I have some questions first, if that’s okay...”

“Ah, of course.” Something in Raetsel’s eyes flickered. “Ask away, and anything that I can answer, I will.”

“Okay. Well, um, first of all…” She pointed to the laptop. “Is—is that supposed to be for me?”

“Yes.” Raetsel nodded. “It was purchased specifically for you, and we’ve had—oh, what’s it called? Oh, right, wifi. We’ve had wifi put in. I cannot make any promises as to the quality or reliability of the connection, though, given all the magic around this castle. I’m sorry.”

“No, that’s okay, I understand, don’t worry about it.” Ahiru shook her head. “Where do you think the connection would work the best?” If she could send an email to her family, she knew it would do a lot to put them at ease to know she’d arrived safely.

“Hmmm…” Raetsel tapped her chin with one finger. “I haven’t used it myself, so I cannot say for certain, but if I had to hazard a guess, I would say the library is your best bet. There isn’t much magical interference there.”

“Library?” Ahiru’s face lit up. “There’s a library here?”

“Oh yes!” Raetsel smiled. “It’s down on the first floor, third door down the first hallway on the right. If you enjoy reading, then it is a paradise, for we have more books than you can count.”

“That sounds great!” Ahiru grinned. “I was actually gonna ask you what stuff there is to do here, but now I don’t have to, I know where I’m going first!”

“I’m pleased I could assist you.” Raetsel tucked some hair behind her ear. “If you have no further need of me, then?”

“Yeah, you can go.” Ahiru sat down on the bed and pulled her socks on. “Oh yeah, and tell the cooks that breakfast was really good.” It was the best way she could think of, at least for now, to thank them without _actually_ saying ‘thank you’.

“I shall.” Raetsel picked up the tray. “Enjoy your morning then, Ahiru, and ring the bell when you are in need of lunch.”

She disappeared again, leaving Ahiru alone. Ahiru immediately leapt up from the bed, so quickly that she slid on the rug and nearly fell, but kept herself upright somehow. Once she’d recovered and grabbed the laptop she was out of the room like a shot, making a beeline for the library. She made herself slow down after she exited, though, wanting to take the time to get a better look at everything in the full light of day. Now that the sun was up and shining through all of the perfectly polished windows, she could better see how the stark white of the marble floors glistened and glittered, and the pure, perfect blue of the thick carpets that had been laid down upon them. The walls were more of a silvery color, hung with paintings and tapestries woven with vividly colored threads. Ahiru didn’t much understand the scenes being depicted in the tapestries, but she admired them all the same, and even reached out to touch one of them and feel the smooth, silken fabric. She didn’t dare touch the paintings, though, not even the frames, which seemed to be plated with rose gold. There was a great variety of things illustrated in them: forest landscapes, seashores, pastoral scenes, still lifes, even a massive one of a swan on a great lake under the full moon. Her favorite, though, was the one of a couple performing a pas de deux in costumes painted so richly that they seemed real. Their faces were indistinct, but something tugged at Ahiru’s heart as she gazed at them nonetheless, sensing that there’d been real caring between the two. She’d always wanted to learn ballet, but her family had never had the money for lessons. Even so, she couldn’t help wishing that she could dance like that herself someday, with a partner that truly loved and supported her.

Statues and vases decorated the halls too, arranged atop beautifully carved pillars of the same crystal that the banisters were made from. They too had a swan motif, with heads and wings etched into the clear, shining stone and staring back at her. They had something of a mournful look about them, Ahiru thought. Or maybe that was just her imagination. The statues themselves were busts of people she didn’t know, and all were clearly fae in some way, be it their ears or their eyes or something else, like a pair of horns curling up from their foreheads. A huge urn depicting people riding on a flying chariot pulled by swans rested atop another, and yet others were simpler vases of crystal shot through with silver, reminding Ahiru of her bell, and filled with water and various flowers of all hues. It lent more color and life to the otherwise cold-looking halls, and she found herself stopping to sniff each bright, fragrant bouquet. More than once she also caught the sense that she was being watched, and tore her eyes away from this or that antique or piece of artwork to see what could be giving her that feeling. Ahiru never quite got a full glimpse of her observers, but did see them skittering away to hide behind corners. Tempting as it was to call out to them, to try and talk with them, Ahiru knew she had to respect their desire to not be seen or spoken with. Sure, they were curious about the new inhabitant of the palace—who wouldn’t be? But odds were that they’d been subjected to some kind of awful treatment by humans before, or at least knew how humans tended to act, so she couldn’t fault them for keeping their distance even while they satisfied their curiosity by spying on her. She wanted to tell them it was okay, she wouldn’t be mean, but how could they believe her? She’d just have to show them she was okay, and that’d start by politely pretending they hadn’t been noticed. Maybe after a while, if she acted as she should, the halls would fill with all manner of fae, no longer driven to hide from her, and the quiet stillness of the palace would be only a memory.

Ahiru was so fascinated with the palace’s décor, and so distracted by its elusive servants, that it took her longer than it should have to get to the library. Even more so when she at first went down the wrong hall. But soon enough she was there, walking through the double doors and into yet another wondrous room. Ahiru had to once again stop and stare a few steps in. Not only was the room so wide and full of shelves that she couldn’t see either end, but there were also three levels worth of them. And in the center was a free-standing electric fireplace and several comfy-looking armchairs and a small sofa, surrounding a glass coffee table much like the one in her bedroom. Ahiru left her laptop on the table before taking off to wander a bit, wanting to look around before sending that email. It really was a paradise, just as Raetsel had said.

Plus, it didn't just look incredible, but it _smelled_ amazing too. Like books, of course, but also like a forest. Like rain on leaves, and sunshine on bark, a lovely, woodsy scent that made her feel like she was wandering through an actual enchanted forest. For a minute, Ahiru just stood there and breathed it in before heading deeper into the wonderland of books. It was hard to know where to start, so she just walked among the tall shelves at random. Eventually she gave in and took a book off a shelf, a huge tome about stars and constellations, and flipped through it.

She'd just paused to look admiringly at the photos of nebulas when she heard them: footsteps, moving in what seemed to be her direction. Ahiru froze. Heart hammering, she strained her ears to try and figure out which direction they were coming from. She'd always been sort of bad at that, so it took her longer than she was comfortable with, but after what felt like forever she was confident enough to go darting off through the stacks. Her socks barely made any noise on the carpet, but all the same she hoped she wouldn't be heard.

Terrifyingly enough, though, the footsteps kept on coming, as if the person following her knew where she was going even when she didn't. Ahiru turned her head every which way, narrowly avoiding colliding into bookshelves, but saw no one. And yet, the noise persisted. Worse, she quickly realized that she was hopelessly lost, and not at all sure where she'd entered. Was this a peculiarity of fae-owned spaces? Or just her own pathetic sense of direction combined with being in an unfamiliar place? Either way, she began to fear the idea of never finding her way out just as much as the thought of _being_ found.

She was out of breath after a while, though, so she slowed her pace. The footsteps, too, seemed to be slowing, so that set her at ease a little. Maybe it was a misunderstanding? Someone who was simply walking around nearby? Or a prank? Or–

She never finished that thought. For as she turned and walked around the end of one of the long shelves she came face to face with a person who was apparently waiting there–oh God, the footsteps had _stopped_ , why hadn't she noticed?–and halted suddenly, almost stumbling over herself in her haste. Was this the person who'd been following her? He was tall, with long black hair pulled into a slightly messy ponytail, and clad in dark slacks, a white button-up shirt, and a charcoal-grey vest. Deep green eyes set in a face that was the same shape and color as an acorn met hers, looking profoundly unimpressed. For a moment Ahiru just stared back, unsure of what to say. And before she could think of anything he spoke, in a deep voice dripping with disdain thicker than sludge, as if she was some flea-ridden stray animal that’d gotten in somehow and was now trailing filth all over the place.

“Who the hell are _you?_ ”


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Beta-read by [letters_of_stars](http://archiveofourown.org/users/letters_of_stars/pseuds/letters_of_stars).

Ahiru stared up at the man, feeling like a small animal caught in the headlights of a semi. He glared back at her, any curiosity his expression may have held slowly transforming into disdain. “I-I-I—what?” she finally managed to stammer. This was the person who had followed her through the library? No, more like hunted, like Elmer Fudd going after Bugs Bunny or something, though this wasn’t exactly laugh inducing. All to ask her that? “What?” she asked again, trying to gain some sort of bearing.

"You heard me." His eyes narrowed even further as he crossed his arms, fingers tapping impatiently. "Now answer the goddamn question. Who are you?"

"I—I—I—um, um, I'm, I'm—I'm Ahiru," she sputtered, heart still racing from being chased through the shelves. She hadn't been expecting something pleasant to come out of his mouth when she'd seen him, but the raw contempt written all over his face was still shocking and unsettling. "I, uh, I, uh—"

“You what? Spit it out,” he snapped, fingers tapping even faster. “I don't have the patience for this shit. What are you doing in my library?”

“Y-your—it's—” She blinked rapidly at him. _His_ library? Someone else owned part of Mytho's palace? “I—that's—that's why you were chasing me?”

“Well, why were you _running?_ ” He took a few steps towards her and she stumbled backwards, almost dropping the book in her hands. “Guilty conscience, maybe? You'd already done something wrong you didn't want to be caught at?”

"I—no! No! I just, I just... I wanted a book." She clutched the astronomy book to her chest as if it was a shield, feeling cold all over despite having gotten all hot and sweaty running through the stacks. Why had she been running? Because she heard someone after her. But how did she explain to him that’s all it was, that she’d heard the footsteps and panicked at the thought of someone or some _thing_ finding her? "That's all, I swear, I just wanted—"

"To steal a book? I see." He glared at her so fiercely she felt like she was going to shrivel away to nothingness. "Well, now you can give it back and get the hell out of here."

He moved forward again, reaching out as if to snatch the book from her hands, but Ahiru backed away again and shook her head. "N-no! No! I—I wasn't—I didn't—I would _never_ —that's not—I just... I just... I just wanted to read, I wouldn't steal, I—wh-who are you, anyway, you asked me who I am, b-but I don't know who you are, and I think I should, I think..." She trailed off, well aware that she was babbling, and feeling her face heat up with mortification over it.

The man withdrew his hands and stared down his nose at her. “Me? I'm the librarian. And _you're_ an intruder." He leaned closer—almost into her personal space, when he had gotten there?—bracing an arm on one of the bookshelves, and Ahiru shrank back again. Whoever this guy was, he was at least a foot taller than her, with a build that suggested he worked out regularly, and the way he was looming over her made the size difference between them seem even bigger. Even _Mytho_ had never come off as this intimidating."Now get the hell out of here before I have to _make_ you leave."

"Oh! Oh, you're the librarian, okay, that makes sense..." Relief surged through her along with the understanding, and she nodded frantically. "But—but—you should know—it's okay if I'm here, really, I didn't break in or anything, I live here now, Mytho, Mytho—Mytho said—he said it's my home now, so you see, it's really okay, you don't have to worry that I'm gonna do anything bad, it's okay, it really is..."

He stared blankly at her for a second, and then closed his eyes in resignation, sighing. He pinched the bridge of his nose and shook his head with a look of irritation. "… Right. I think I _do_ remember hearing something about that.” His eyes snapped back open and zeroed in on her. “But that still doesn't mean you can be in here.”

"Wh-what? Y-yes it does!” Ahiru frowned. “It's my home now, Mytho _said_ , and Raetsel told me about this place, she didn't say anything about my needing permission, but okay, if that's how you're gonna be about it, I'll just go to Mytho and—”

“And what? Try to get him to fire me?" His eyes went wide and his jaw tensed as irritation turned to a mixture of horror and shock so intense that his elbow slipped off the bookshelf. He caught himself quickly and stared at her, looking completely scandalized. “I can't believe you—you're—is this how you treat everyone that pisses you off, you just try to ruin their lives?” His hands balled into fists at his sides, fists that shook slightly as he waited for her answer.

"No! No, no, no!" Ahiru waved her hands in front of herself frantically, forgetting the astronomy book she’d been holding. It went tumbling to the carpet as she frantically tried to correct his assumption. "Th-that's not what I was gonna say at all, gimme a chance to finish talking before you go accusing me of stuff! I just was gonna say that I could go to Mytho and ask him if it's really okay, and he could let you know that I can be in here and that way you wouldn't have to worry that I'm gonna steal or anything, I would never threaten your job, I _know_ what that's like with awful customers, and I just got fired from my own job before I came here, I wouldn't be like that with someone else..." The man’s eyes had slowly slid from her face to the book now lying on the carpet. Ahiru winced as she bent to pick it up and hold it close to her chest once more—it'd fallen in a wonky enough position that some of the pages were bent. Of _course_ it had. That explained why he was glaring daggers at her again. No, with him it was more like _swords_.

"Right." He unclenched his fists and flexed his fingers; Ahiru instinctively flinched at the motion, and as if in response to her reaction he flexed them again. "Don't even bother feeding me that bullshit. You came here and the minute you heard I'm the librarian you instantly saw me as some _thing_ you can treat like shit. And don't even pretend that's not what went through your head, I _saw_ that look on your face when I said I work here."

“What?” Her mouth fell open and she stared, speechless, at him for a second. "No! No, I swear—I was just relieved, cause you scared me so much, I thought you were like... some kind of lord or something and you really could kick me out, but it turns out we're equals, so I was relieved, like I said..." Ahiru shook her head again. "I swear that's all it was!"

"Equals? Us?" He stared at her as if she'd suddenly grown a second head. “You—you can't—you can't possibly—no. No, there's no way you're serious.” He shook his head and crossed his arms once more. “How _stupid_ do you think I am, that you think I'd believe that?”

"But we _are!_ " Ahiru stomped her foot. She knew it was immature, but she was starting to lose her patience with him. She was trying to make it better, but he didn't want to listen, he just wanted to be a jerk—why? What had she ever done to him to earn such loathing? "Mytho could—he could kick me out too, you know! I mean, I mean, I'm not even doing anything to justify being here, not like you, you've probably been here for a while and I bet you're really good at your job, but I'm just... I just live here, and I only just came here, so if anything you're above me, he has more reason to kick me out than you, even if I wanted to try and get you kicked out, which I don't, whether you believe me or not I really don't!"

"That's what you honestly think?" He let out an incredulous laugh. "Either you think I'm an idiot, or _you're_ the idiot. Hell, it's probably both." He rubbed the back of his neck as if it was hurting him, and glared down at her. “You're so stupid that you honestly think I'll be just as dumb and believe your half-assed lies.”

"Wh-what do you mean?" Ahiru frowned. "What's that supposed to mean?"

He paused for a moment, looking like he was churning something over, and came to another conclusion in his head. "... Never mind." He shook his head and sighed. "If you're too stupid to figure it out, then I'm not gonna bother explaining."

"I... what..." Ahiru's heart sank. She'd had her share of rude customers at The Buzz, but this guy... he was worse than all of them, and she didn't understand why. "Why are you being like this? What's your problem? What'd I ever do to you that you have to act like this?"

"You’re here." He looked down at her, raised his eyebrows, and shrugged. "Isn't that enough?"

"I—I—" Ahiru's lower lip trembled. "What the... why are you...why do you have to be so mean, I don't..."

"I am what I am. Deal with it or don't." His gaze dropped to the book in her arms. "Now, are you going to take that poor book you wrecked with you or not?”

“Yes!” Ahiru clutched the book tighter, despite how sweaty her hands still were. “I’m going to take this one, and maybe some others! You have a problem with that?” It would have sounded more defiant had her voice not cracked slightly.

“Oh, certainly not, your Highness.” He made a mocking bow. “What right would a lowly servant like me have to object to your desires?”

“Stop it!” Ahiru’s hands shook and she almost dropped the book again. “You know I don't think of you that way!”

“I don’t know anything like that.” He gave her another disdainful once-over. “I only have your word on the matter, and that means all of two things to me. Jack and shit, if you’re wondering.”

“I wasn’t wondering!” She glared up at him and tightened her hands around the book. The fear was slowly ebbing into anger, the adrenaline from being pursued replaced by indignation. How could he treat her like this? What the hell had she done?

“Fair enough. And it’s not like I care, anyway.” He tucked some loose hair behind his ear and shrugged again. “Now, if you don’t need me for anything, I need to get back to work. You know, at my _job_. The thing _you_ don’t have anymore.”

That blow stung. But Ahiru refused to let him see that he'd gotten to her, and made herself roll her eyes. “Oh, right. Like I’d _ever_ need _you_ for anything. Keep dreaming.”

“Nah, I prefer to avoid nightmares, thanks.” He let out a cold, humorless laugh as he turned and began to head back through the shelves. He stopped right at the turn and raised a mocking hand in a wave. “Be seeing you… much as I’d rather not.” And with that, he disappeared from view.

“Not like I want to see you again either!” Ahiru shouted after him, voice swallowed by the shelves around her. It was only when she’d taken a moment to calm down that it hit her: he had looked entirely, totally, one hundred percent _human_. No horns, no pointed ears, completely ordinary coloring, no tail, nothing at all that indicated any fae parentage. Talked like a human, too, unlike Mytho and Raetsel’s more formal speech.

So, another human. The fact that Mytho seemed to employ at least one was intriguing… or, it would’ve been if said human hadn’t shown himself to be a _total asshole_. That definitely made it less fun. What was wrong with him? Why had he felt the need to _chase_ her through the library like that? Hell, how had he even known where she was? Completely creepy, that’s what it was.

And he hadn’t even told her his _name!_ Ahiru almost whacked herself on the head with her book out of sheer frustration as that fact dawned on her. What a complete fucking jerk! Not like she was dying to get to know him or anything like that, but if she actually needed help in here at some point—oh God, that thought made her shudder like nothing else—then she needed to know his name. Kind of a big deal, that was. But no, of course he had to make her life more difficult. He was the worst, he really was. And now that he was out of sight and presumably earshot too, she let herself cry, just a little, hot tears of anger and frustration and maybe some hurt too, from having to deal with someone like that her first day here. She scrubbed her cheeks and shook herself a little until the tears stopped. Ugh, she’d be perfectly happy if she never saw his stupid face again. She started to weave her way back through the stacks, trying to remember how to get out. How to get out and not have run into _him_ again. He was just too damn irritating to want to put up with for another minute! Ahiru stomped her feet a little as she rounded a corner, remembering how he’d towered over her to scare her. How did _anyone_ stand him? She’d ask Mytho why he bothered employing such a douchebag if she didn’t think it’d put his job at jeopardy, and she was going to be the better person and not do that. She’d show him!

She grumbled to herself all the way back to familiar territory. Eventually, she recognized the book topics and calmed down, letting herself browse a little once more. She’d picked up a few more books by the time she reemerged at the center of the library. To her relief, Mr. Jerkface Librarian was nowhere to be seen. Ahiru cast her fiercest glare in the direction she thought he might be in, and then headed to the table where she’d deposited her new laptop. She dumped the books down next to it, and lifted the lid. Time to send her family that email.

There was just one problem. The wifi network—labeled ‘SWANLAKE’ and predictably the only one there—that Raetsel had told her about? Required a password. Ahiru swallowed a scream, settling for slamming her tiny fist onto the sofa she was sitting on. She didn’t need this. Oh, she definitely did _not_ need this. Not now. She’d just gotten stalked mysteriously through the library, freaked out, lost, treated like shit by the douche of a librarian, sat through the entire Windows setup on this thing, and now she couldn’t even connect to the internet to let her family know she was okay? She probably had enough data on her phone to at least text Malen or somebody, but _still_. And what were the odds the password was in the hands of Assface Von Douche, wherever he was? Pretty damn good, unfortunately. Which, not only did she _emphatically_ not want to go looking for him, but she was fairly sure he’d just be even more of an asshole about giving it to her, and she wasn’t sure she wouldn’t just die of rage by the time she pried the password out of him.

Ugh. Ahiru took a deep breath. Okay. Time to calm down. She wasn't going to waste any more of her day thinking about him, he'd already taken up way too much of her time and thoughts as it was. No, she’d just text Malen and probably her parents too when she got back to her room, and bug the jerk for the password when she wasn’t already so worked up. That, or ask Mytho to do something about the matter. Raetsel was unlikely to have the password, given she hadn’t even known anything about passwords to begin with. If she had, she would’ve told her. Because—unlike the librarian—she was a nice person. Like, _fuck_ , what the hell had crawled up his ass and died? Whatever it was, it'd probably have to be surgically removed at this point, because it sure wasn't getting out of there on its own. There was a point where assholery that extreme had to be actively chosen, and he was obviously making the choice with gusto. What an absolute—

No. No, she'd sworn she wasn't going to think about him anymore. If she wanted to enjoy the rest of her morning, she needed to put him out of her mind for real this time. Ahiru took another deep breath, and another, and closed the laptop carefully, instead of slamming it shut the way that just _thinking_ about the librarian made her want to do. Sure, she had enough money to buy a replacement, and so did Mytho, but it'd be more than a little awkward to explain why she'd need something like that so soon. So she treated it with care, and waited till she'd completely calmed down before getting up to go find some more books.

Thankfully, she was able to browse in peace, and get plenty of reading material. The librarian never showed his stupid face again, so that made it pleasant. Since she couldn't email her family, she just snuggled down into the comfortable sofa, enjoyed the warmth of the fireplace and the forest-y scent of the room, and quietly read one of the books she'd selected. It wasn’t until the clock on the wall started chiming that she realized two things: it was noon, and she was desperately hungry. Ahiru stacked all of her books together along with her new laptop, and headed back to her room. She wasn’t sure what sort of check-out system the librarian used, but she wasn’t going to be bothered to find out. He could come to _her_ if he had a problem.

Ringing the bell brought Raetsel to her, and Ahiru put in an order for lunch. After polishing off another delicious meal courtesy of the kitchen staff—seriously, this was one thing she was starting to think she _could_ get used to—she dug her phone out of her backpack and sent off quick texts to her family members to update them on the situation. Well, in theory they were quick: typing them up was, but actually sending them, not so much. No signal, no signal, no signal. She hoped this wasn’t an indication of how the wifi would run once she actually got on it. Though, to be fair, Raetsel had said that the library would be the best location for use of electronics, and she was back up in her room now. It was probably different there. _Hopefully_.

Once she finally got the texts sent—teetering up on the windowsill with phone held high above her head—she had to decide what to do with the rest of her afternoon. She knew she probably ought to unpack the things she'd brought with her, but there was honestly no need just yet and she didn't feel like it anyway. She was way too curious about the palace, and wanted to do some more exploring. So Ahiru picked up the bell and rang it.

As she had the previous times, Raetsel appeared in a whirlwind of air. “Hello, Ahiru.” She smiled. “All done? How was your first lunch here?”

“It was great!” Ahiru beamed at her. “Tell the chef I loved it, okay?”

“Of course.” Raetsel began to gather up the dirty dishes onto the tray. “Will that be all?”

“No.” Ahiru shook her head. “I was actually hoping you could tell me more about the palace? Like, what else is there to do around here? I already went to the library, but what other stuff could I look at or find to entertain myself with?”

“Hmmmm…” Raetsel paused to think. “Well, if you are truly bored, that television set above your fireplace should work.” She gestured at it. “I believe Mytho set up… or rather, he had someone set up… cable, I think? Some sort of system by which to allow you to watch a wide variety of things upon it.”

“Yeah, I’ll probably check that out later.” Ahiru nodded. “What else?”

“What else? Well…” Raetsel set Ahiru’s empty glass onto the tray. “We have little in the way of entertainment here, to be honest, we do not often have guests, and thus our ballroom goes disused, and Mytho does not keep any musicians or jesters or anything of that sort… but if you enjoy walking around and enjoying nature, then you might well relish exploring the grounds.” She rested her face in one hand and idly tapped her fingers against her cheek as she thought further. “Our orchards and outdoor gardens are sleeping now, of course, given the season, and the lake lacks any wildlife, but we have an extensive greenhouse you might enjoy seeing.” She sighed. “That’s all I can think of, sorry… we don’t have any swimming pools or arcades or anything else that you humans typically tend to enjoy. I’m sure it sounds boring.”

“Nah, it’s fine.” Ahiru smiled. “That sounds like fun to explore! And honestly, I’m sure I’ll be happy with what you’ve got, and I’m not much of an arcade person anyway.” Or at least, she’d never been able to justify the cost of going, and eventually people had stopped inviting her to tag along altogether. No use remembering that now, though. “How do I get to the greenhouse?”

“Go to the first floor and head all the way to the back and then turn right.” Raetsel picked up the tray. “There’s a small conservatory in there that makes for an excellent sitting room, if you ever desire to read in there or just while away a pleasant morning, and there’s a door from it that leads to a path that will take you to the greenhouse.”

“Okay!” Ahiru smiled again. “That sounds easy, I’m sure I’ll find it with such good directions.”

“You are too kind.” Raetsel returned her smile. “Now then, if you don’t need anything else, I shall take these back to the kitchen to be cleaned.”

Ahiru assured her she was good, and so Raetsel disappeared once more. After she was gone Ahiru headed into the walk-in closet again. If she was going to actually go outside, she’d need to wear some shoes. So she grabbed some sneakers, letting them swing in her hand as she carried them down to the first floor, heading in the direction Raetsel had told her. Ahiru stuck her tongue out at the library as she passed it.

When she got to the conservatory—a beautifully ornate room with arched windows, marble floor, and a large fountain of a mother swan and cygnets in the middle—Ahiru wound her way through the colorful maze of potted plants, making her way towards the door on the opposite side. She paused to put her shoes on just before she reached it, remembering just in time that she was carrying them. Then, turning the handle, she stepped outside and was immediately presented with another wonder.

“Wow…”

She barely heard herself speak. Beneath her feet was a white cobblestone path with small, sparkly stones set into it, winding off into the distance. And above her head was a seemingly endless wooden trellis, blanketed in millions of silvery white flowers that looked like they were carved out of crystal, or ice. They didn’t look familiar to her at all—maybe they were some kind of bloom only fae cultivated, that bloomed in the colder months? Probably. Ahiru took a moment to admire them, and then set off down the path. A vaguely sweet, if slightly dusty, scent teased her nostrils as she walked, and it was tempting to pluck one of the flowers that trailed down far enough for even her to reach. She resisted, though, and settled for merely breathing deeply and giving them adoring gazes. She soon found herself shivering too, for she was entirely exposed to the biting autumn air out here—even colder than it was back home—and she wished she’d thought to put on some kind of jacket.

At last, though, Ahiru came within view of the greenhouse. She had to stop and gape at the sight of that, too: it looked more like a castle than any greenhouse she’d ever seen pictures of, huge and sprawling and made of emerald-green glass. Were there multiple stories to this thing? It looked like it. Ahiru took a moment to stare before picking her jaw up off the ground and continuing on.

The huge door swung open more easily than she would’ve expected it to, and made only the slightest of tinkling noises, reminiscent of her bell. Ahiru made sure to close it completely before turning round and taking in the splendor of it all. Inside, it was much warmer than it was outdoors, and she had a feeling that she might start sweating soon if she stayed too long. It wasn’t enough to motivate her to leave, though, because it was too impressive in here to not want to explore. So many plants! This room had towering high ceilings to accommodate the rows and rows of fruit trees lining it. Ahiru walked down the center, looking from side to side as she did. Off to the left another room opened up, and she could see countless bushes bearing fruit too; there was also another one just like it over on the right. She wrapped her arms around herself to try and resist the temptation of picking something off the branches and kept going.

At the end of the long, long room she was faced with a choice between two doors. One led to the vegetable gardens with a sign that noted that the entrance to the herb room was located within that section, and the other led to the flower gardens. Flowers sounded much more interesting, so Ahiru rolled her sweater sleeves up and turned the handle.

Back when she’d been in elementary school, her class had taken a field trip to some botanical gardens. They’d been impressive back then, but now? Now they might as well have been a barren desert, for all that they paled in comparison to this wonderland. Rows upon rows of flower beds filled the room, all of them loaded with flowers so brightly and beautifully colored that it almost hurt her eyes. There were more trellises here too, draped with curtains of roses and wisteria and honeysuckle, and the sweet floral scent of it all was almost overpowering. As with the other things she’d seen today, Ahiru had to stop and stare for a minute before taking off into the flower garden proper.

She wandered slowly, not wanting to miss anything and wishing she’d brought her phone with her so she could photograph this for her dad. A sharp pang went through her at the thought of him; she'd mostly managed to avoid thinking about how much she missed everyone, but now, confronted with a place that she knew he'd love to see, it was hard not to wish Paulo especially was here to see this with her. A lump rose in her throat, and she shook her head to try and clear her eyes of forming tears before she moved on. Ahiru read every little tag noting the names of the flowers, and sniffed so many that she started to lose her ability to tell them apart. There were lilies and orchids, tulips and pansies, cosmos and violets and carnations. And countless more besides. Every kind of flower imaginable was represented here, plus tons of others Ahiru hadn’t even known existed. The air seemed to shift around each carefully tended box, allowing for each one to have the specific conditions it needed to flourish, and Ahiru marveled at that too. Fairy magic was a truly wonderful thing, just going by the fact that it could do this. She almost wondered why they bothered having outdoor gardens too if they had this, if she didn’t realize at the same time that as gorgeous as all this was, it wouldn’t really be a substitute for wandering around outside with the spring or summer air around you, and the sound of birds singing. That thought made her excited for the rest of autumn and winter to hurry up and pass, so that she could see the outdoor gardens here in their full glory.

Someone was singing right now, though. Ahiru paused in the middle of examining some irises to listen. It sounded like a young woman’s voice, soft and gentle and so sweet she imagined it was like what a flower would sound like if it could talk. Maybe it _was_ a flower. Who knew with fae gardens? Ahiru turned and started looking around, trying to find the source. It sounded a bit distant, but maybe she could locate it anyway.

As it turned out, though, she didn’t have to. Ahiru was walking further into the flower garden when a nearby door she hadn’t seen—hidden by a trellis covered with wisteria—opened, and the singing person walked in. It was indeed a young woman, one who looked only a little older than she was, tall and willowy with long blonde hair down to her knees and nearly transparent wings extending from her back and poking out through her golden locks. She was barefoot, and clad in one of the most unusual dresses Ahiru had ever seen: the bodice seemed to have been made of blue roses and their leaves, while the skirt fell to just above her ankles and was made of layers of diaphanous blue fabric adorned with embroidered flowers with small gems at their center. There were no sleeves on the gown, only thin straps that looked like vines, and in her delicate hands the woman carried a huge silver watering can.

She would’ve continued on her way, if she hadn’t spotted Ahiru staring at her. Her singing stopped and her eyes widened, and some water sloshed out of the can as she stumbled backwards in her surprise. “Oh! I–I didn’t know—who are—when did _you_ get here?”

“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry!” Ahiru waved her hands in front of herself, feeling a blush creeping up her cheeks. _Please,_ _please_ _don’t let this girl react the same way the librarian did_. “I–I didn’t mean to startle you, I swear! Raetsel told me about this place and I thought I’d come look around, and it’s so beautiful, and I was really enjoying it, and then I heard your singing, and I kept walking and I didn’t know there was a door there until you came out of it, and… sorry!”

“Oh no, no, do not apologize!” Her speaking voice was just as lovely and musical as her singing voice, carrying some of the same lilt that Raetsel had. "Forgive me, I am not used to having company.”

“No, no, it's my fault, I kinda intruded, sorry...” Ahiru wrung her hands. “Um, um, anyway, I... I guess I should introduce myself, right?” She laughed nervously. “I—I'm Ahiru, and you're...?”

“I am Freya, I tend the gardens for—for Mytho.” She smiled, and Ahiru’s cheeks grew warm again. “It is lovely to meet you, Ahiru.”

“Same, it's nice to meet you too!” Ahiru beamed back at her. “And I gotta say, you've done a really good job here, it's just amazing...!”

“Oh, my heart is glad to hear that.” Freya’s leaf-green eyes shone with happiness. “For this is my… oh, it doesn’t seem quite right to say my passion, for though it is that, it runs far deeper than someone with a hobby.” She tucked some hair behind her ear, which Ahiru noticed now was shaped like a flower’s leaf–narrow at the bottom, wider in the middle, and then narrowing again to a delicate point. “It is in my blood, I think is the most accurate way of putting it.”

“You’re a flower fairy?” The words slipped out before she could help it, and she clapped her hands over her mouth in horror. “Oh, I’m sorry, I’m sorry, that’s so rude of me…”

“No, it’s fine, I do not mind." Freya shook her head and began to water some of the flowers she was standing next to. “How are you liking the palace so far? And Mytho, what do you think of him?”

“I really like it here!” Ahiru watched Freya tend to the plants. “As for Mytho, I barely know him, but he seems nice, so I like him too.”

“To say that he’s ‘nice’ does not do him justice.” Freya looked up from some Lily of the Valley to give Ahiru a dazzling smile. “He treats all who work for him, regardless of their heritage, as though we are equals in his eyes, all deserving of the same treatment, the same warmth and love distributed fairly to all. He possesses the most generous and loving heart I have ever encountered, and I have never had cause to doubt his devotion to protecting us all from a harsh, cruel world that would do us so much harm.” She paused, and laughed. “I know that must make him sound like something out of, well, a fairytale, but it is true.”

“No, I believe you.” Ahiru shook her head. “I mean, okay, like I said, I don’t know him that well myself, so I don’t want to _just_ take your word on it, I want to spend time with him and make my own judgments, but at the same time it’s good to know that the people who work for him really like him, you know?”

“Fair enough.” Freya laughed again. “I am, after all, a stranger to you myself, so I do not expect you to take my word as the gospel truth right away. That would be foolish of me. That said, I do hope that in time you’ll come to love him as we all do.”

“Ah! Th-that’s–I mean–I–” Ahiru could feel her face heating up again. “I–I’m sure he and I will become great friends in time, once we get to know each other, e-especially if he’s as great as you say, I mean…” She paused, blushing some more, and tried to gather her words. “I already really like it here, so that’s one thing…”

“I’m pleased to hear that.” Freya smiled. “Now then, would you like to walk with me as I water the flowers, or continue wandering on your own? If you go through the door I came through, you will find the herb garden. Perhaps I’m biased, but I think it’s well worth a view, even if isn’t as flashy as this.” She motioned with her hand at the flowers around them.

“That sounds good. Seeing the herb garden, I mean,” Ahiru amended. “And, it’s really okay for me to walk around on my own?”

“Of course.” Freya nodded. “Mytho brought you here to live, therefore this is your home now. You are free to wander as you like, and I trust you not to harm anything.”

“Oh, you’re too nice!” Ahiru caught herself just before she said the forbidden words, and breathed a little easier once she had. No thanking anyone. She had to remember to be careful. “I–I really appreciate it.” And she did. It was such a marked contrast with how that librarian had acted that she wanted to hug Freya. “I mean, you barely know me…”

“True, but I have also seen enough thus far to know that I feel comfortable placing my trust and hope in you.” Freya smiled, and then bent to water more flowers. “Very well, I shall continue my work then. Do not be surprised if you hear me singing again—it is a habit of mine, and it is likely I may forget you are here. As I said, I am unused to company. Particularly that of humans.”

“Really? But...” Ahiru tilted her head slightly. “What about that librarian guy? Doesn't he ever come in here?”

"Hmmm? Oh, you mean Fakir?" Freya frowned down at one of the boxes, and set her watering can down so that she could pry a stray weed out of the dirt. "Well…” She held the weed tenderly in her hands. “To be perfectly honest with you, he's been with us for so many years that I tend to forget he's human. And he rarely visits anyway."

So, his name was Fakir. "Lemme guess, he hardly ever leaves the library?" Ahiru held back a snort. For all she knew, Freya might actually _like_ Fakir, so she didn't want to offend her. It was a bizarre idea, sure, but stranger things had happened.

“That is part of it,” Freya admitted. “But even when I do see him, he is reticent and loathe to start a conversation…” She paused again, patting the dirt back into place where she'd pulled the weed, and picked up her watering can, expression brightening. “Anyway, do not let me keep you, go, go on! Not because I do not enjoy your company, but because I am sure the flowers are keen for it.” She smiled, her eyes going soft and happy again. “They have so few visitors besides myself, and they would be all too pleased to preen for someone new, especially someone who admires them as you clearly do. Which in turn gives _me_ happiness.”

“Haha, okay, and I really don't want to keep you from your work anyway.” Ahiru waved at her. “Bye, Freya! I had fun talking to you!”

“As did I.” Freya waved back with her free hand. “And know that you are welcome here any time, Ahiru.”

“Alright, I’ll remember that!” Ahiru waved at her again, and then headed towards the door Freya had entered through.

A less sweet yet still appealing scent greeted her upon entry to the herb gardens. Along the far wall opposite her, Ahiru could see a truly massive rosemary bush, and in between were rows and rows of herbs growing in boxes. These were easier to recognize, mostly, just from having been to a supermarket before. Basil and sage and oregano and thyme and mint were there, as were dill and parsley and lavender. Every kind of herb she knew, and many others she didn’t. Some had names she’d heard of, while others were completely alien. Fae-cultivated, obviously. Some might be used in cooking, but most were used for medicinal purposes. That train of thought led her to Malen, and Ahiru sighed, feeling a pang in her heart. She hoped Malen was feeling alright today, and that she’d be able to get an appointment at that fae clinic soon too. And that they’d be able to help her better than her human doctors had. Maybe Malen should’ve been the one to come here instead. After all, Freya probably knew how to turn these herbs into something to treat people’s illnesses, and even if she didn’t, there had to be _someone_ on staff who did, judging by the fact that they were growing here. Plus, being so isolated, they kinda needed to have a doctor on hand for emergencies instead of traveling to town.

Town? Ahiru paused. Her sad thoughts about Malen temporarily fled, replaced by a million logistical questions about this whole set-up. Yeah, where _was_ the closest town or city? How did anyone get there? They had to have access to something, given all the stuff she’d already had given or offered to her. Ahiru really doubted they made _everything_ by hand here. No, there had to be some kind of city nearby where they could go buy stuff, it didn’t make sense otherwise. She just hadn’t heard about it yet.

They obviously provided for themselves as far as raw ingredients for meals went, though. Ahiru wandered through the herb garden, and then into a section devoted to cultivating spices, before finding herself in the truly massive vegetable garden. What they did for meat she didn’t know, but they had pretty much every fruit and vegetable, it seemed like, plus loads of stuff to season them with. It almost made her hungry, looking at all of it.

Eventually, though, the warmth got to be too much for her, and she headed back out more or less the way she came. By now the chill of the autumn afternoon was welcome, and she sighed in relief as it hit her. She’d been sweating up a storm in the greenhouse before she got out of there, and it took her until she got back to the conservatory to feel cooled off. She removed her shoes once she stepped through the door, and carried them back up to her room. Ahiru felt so sweaty and gross that she piled her hair into a huge shower cap—or maybe it, like the clothes in the closet, had a spell on it to adjust to fit her exactly—and took a quick shower to clean herself off.

After her shower she flopped onto the couch and checked her phone to see if she’d gotten any replies to her texts yet. She had, so she spent a little time answering them, and then found the remote for the TV. To her surprise and delight, it not only had a full complement of cable channels, but access to Netflix too. And even better, it was already logged in with a profile waiting for her. Once she got connected, anyway, which took a few tries. At any other time that might’ve seemed a little weird, maybe, but after what happened with the wifi in the library she could only be grateful. Ahiru got up to turn the gas fireplace on, and then set about browsing the shows and movies in search of something to watch. Her family had never had anything beyond a very basic cable package, and certainly never Netflix, so this was really new and exciting for her.

After a bit of indecision, she finally picked a movie, and settled into the pillows to watch. She wasn’t keeping an eye on the way the light slowly crept out of the room, until the credits began rolling and she finally took notice. She leapt up from the couch and hurried over to her bedside table not just to turn on the lamp, but to frantically ring the bell.

Raetsel appeared almost immediately, and frowned. “Ahiru? Is something wrong?”

“I hope not! I mean…” Ahiru swallowed. “You–you said dinner’s served in the dining room, right? Where is it, and when is it? I’m not late, am I?”

“Oh, not at all!” Raetsel relaxed and laughed. “There’s still a little over an hour left before you must be there, and it’s not hard to find—simply go down to the first floor again, and head left, and it will be the third door on your left.”

“Okay.” Ahiru nodded. “Do I have to dress up or anything?”

“It’s not strictly required, I don’t think, but it’s probably a good idea. I mean, if I ever ate in there, I doubt I would wear jeans and a t-shirt.” Raetsel laughed again. “A lovely dress should suffice, and goodness knows there are plenty of those in your closet. All the accessories you might desire should be provided as well, and I don’t think you’ll be wanting for anything.” She smoothed her skirt down. “Now, is that all you’ll be needing from me for the moment?”

“Yeah, we’re good.” Ahiru nodded. “I think I can relax now cause you told me everything I needed, so I’ll go get ready.”

“I’m happy I could provide assistance.” Raetsel smiled. “Very well then, I’ll leave you to it.”

Once Raetsel had left, Ahiru headed into the closet. Where were the nice dresses? She was sure she’d seen them on her sweep this morning, but there was just so much in here that she didn’t remember that well. It took her a little bit of looking to find them again, and then the next question was which one to wear? Ahiru hemmed and hawed, and eventually decided on a beautiful gown that looked kinda like something out of the Jane Austen movies her mom loved. It was a soft, buttery shade of yellow, with an empire waist and a long, floaty skirt that she couldn’t help but twirl around in, feeling like a fairy herself. She put her hair up in a braided bun, and then practically skipped over to the door and headed downstairs. It was completely dark outside by now, but at least this time someone had thought to turn the lights on.

Just as Raetsel had told her, it was the third door on the left. Or to be more precise, the third set of double doors. Ahiru cautiously eased one open, half expecting a slight creak, but relaxing a little when none came. It was a large room, but it didn’t feel excessively so. A long table covered with a white and gold tablecloth took up the center of the room, with chairs all along it. The chairs were made of fine, dark wood, and had silky white cushions on them. Behind the table was another gas fireplace, already switched on, and huge enough that Ahiru herself could probably have comfortably stood in there if she opened it up. To her disappointment, the room was empty but for herself, and she could see that only one place setting had been laid out on the table despite all the food waiting there. It was at one end, right beside where someone else would sit at the head of the table, had there been a chair there. The lights were dim enough that it felt like having a candlelit dinner, despite that there were no candles at all in there. Ahiru crossed the room to the table and sank into the chair she was obviously meant to sit in.

How long the food had been waiting for her she didn’t know, but it was all still piping hot and steaming, as if it had been brought in the very second she sat down. Magic. Ahiru shrugged. She was already starting to get used to that sort of thing. And really, it wasn’t as though fairies were an entirely new thing to her. It would’ve been a bigger shock if they hadn’t been living openly amongst humans for most of her life. As it was, she could just write off amazing things as magic and move on. She spread a napkin over her lap, and then took to surveying the food laid out for her. Despite having watched plenty of Food Network shows with her sisters—ultra-dramatic cooking competitions were one of the few entertainment choices Pike and Lilie agreed on—she still felt a bit lost, and unable to identify everything. Eventually she decided to try a little bit of all of it, and heaped her plate high.

Halfway through the meal—which was somehow even more amazing than breakfast and lunch combined, perhaps for all the unknown foods she decided to try—the dining room doors opened. Ahiru paused in the middle of buttering a roll to look up, and her heart leapt when she saw Mytho coming in. “Ah! Mytho! Y-you’re going to eat with me?”

As soon as she said it, it hit her what a surreal, straight-out-of-a-kid's-movie-or-storybook idea that was, to eat dinner with a giant talking polar bear. And there was no place set for him or anything, so how...? But she barely had time to wonder about it before he shook his head and answered. “No, I do not intend to eat with you.” He loped over to the empty space at the head of the table, right next to where she sat, and settled himself onto the floor. “I would not subject you to such an unappetizing sight as that. However, I do wish to converse with you, to learn about your first day here, as you indulge in dinner.”

“Oh, well, that’s good too!” Honestly, he had a point, even if she wasn't gonna say so aloud—she didn't watch much Animal Planet, at least not the kind of shows that would include predator eating habits, but she'd seen enough to know that she _really_ didn't want to watch him plow through something he'd gone out and caught that day. Restraining a shudder at the thought of it, Ahiru wiped at her mouth, suddenly self-conscious of anything she might’ve gotten on her face as she ate. She wasn’t accustomed to dining on ‘cuisine’, after all, unless the Lean Cuisines Paulamoni liked to stock their freezer with counted. “Wh–what do you want to know?”

“Well, to begin with…” He glanced down at her plate. “How are you enjoying the talents of my kitchen staff?”

“Oh, it’s amazing!” Ahiru’s face lit up. “Not just dinner, but breakfast and lunch too, it’s all been so good! Like, the best food I’ve ever eaten!”

“I am pleased to hear that.” He nodded. “I will relay your compliments to them.” He waited for Ahiru to eat some more of her food, and then spoke again. “And what of entertainment? I pray you have not been bored, this first day in your new home?”

“Not at all!” Ahiru swallowed down a bite of roll. “I found lots to do, don’t worry!”

“Good, good.” Mytho nodded. “Will you do me the courtesy of telling me about them? I would relish the opportunity to hear what you found to occupy your hours with.”

“Of course!” She gulped down some of her drink. It was fruity and sweet, but beyond that she really couldn’t tell what it was. It wasn’t anything she’d ever had before, and it wasn’t carbonated, and thankfully didn’t taste alcoholic either. But it was good. “Um, let’s see, well, I tried out that TV before dinner, it was really fun to watch stuff, I watched one of my favorite movies, and before that I saw the greenhouse and I met Freya.”

“Ah yes, the greenhouse.” Mytho nodded again. “It is one of the most important parts of this palace, for it provides us with things we cannot always get in the normal way, especially during these colder months when the land outside hibernates. Thanks to it, we are entirely self-sufficient when it comes to all things in the realm of plants.”

“I was wondering about that,” Ahiru admitted. “So you really do grow everything yourself here?”

“Indeed.” Mytho shifted slightly. “Thanks to the greenhouse, as well as the outdoor gardens and orchards in the warmer months, we never lack for fresh produce, nor herbs or spices to season them with, or indeed for components of medicine.”

“What about other food?” Ahiru tilted her head. “Do you have a whole farm stashed here somewhere, for milk and eggs and meat and stuff?”

“I am afraid not.” Mytho laughed. It was an odd sound, a bit like a dog barking, but deeper, smoother, more full-bodied. “For things like that, Raetsel must make trips into town.”

So, Raetsel was the one who did the grocery shopping. Ahiru filed that piece of information away. “So, there’s a town nearby that she can shop in?”

“Yes. You likely could not see it in the dark, but there is a road that leads from this palace down to the city of Goldenkrone. It is there that all items we cannot create here are purchased.”

“Gotcha.” Ahiru nodded. “And, going back to something you said just now—herbs for components of medicine? So you have, like, a doctor in the castle or something?”

“Yes.” Mytho scratched behind one ear with his paw. “I do hope you will not require her services, but I do employ a very talented physician here, and she makes use of the herbs Freya cultivates in order to make special medicines that are hard to find elsewhere.”

And ridiculously expensive if you did. “Okay, cool. Sorry if this is too many questions, though.” She ducked her head, feeling a blush coming on. “I’m not being too nosy, am I?”

“Of course not.” Mytho let out that strange, barking laugh again. “I am pleased to see your interest in your new home. It is only natural that you should seek to know all you can, and I am greatly heartened that you are so curious.”

“Oh, okay, good.” Ahiru relaxed. “I was kinda worried you’d think I was prying.”

“Not at all. As I said, this is your home now too, and I would be more concerned if you had showed a lack of interest in its workings.” Mytho regarded her solemnly. “What did you make of Freya herself? Did you like her?”

“I liked her a lot!” Ahiru brightened again. “She was so nice and friendly, and had lots of good stuff to say about you, too!”

“How kind of her.” He smiled slightly. “I am pleased that you enjoyed her company. Freya is a valued employee of mine, and I wish dearly for you to be on pleasant terms not just with her, but with all who live here.”

Well _that_ wasn’t gonna happen, but Ahiru wasn’t about to tell him that. “Oh, definitely! I’m gonna go back there lots and hang out with her! And I love the conservatory too, it seems like such a relaxing place!” She thought of the smooth marble floors and the arcing neck of the mother swan statue.

“Indeed, I have whiled away many a pleasant hour there myself.” Mytho settled back on the floor. “I am unsurprised that it found favor with you as well.”

“Oh, totally!” Ahiru set down her fork. She felt full to bursting now that she’d polished off some of the dessert that had been provided for her. “It’s just so pretty and calming, what with all the plants and that fountain, and the benches look so comfy. I’m probably gonna take a cup of tea or something and a book in there one day, and just spend the whole morning or afternoon just reading.”

“Ah yes, as to that…” There was something in Mytho’s amber eyes that she couldn’t quite decipher. “You have told me about your afternoon, but what about your morning? How fared the earlier portion of the day?”

“Oh… well…” Ahiru tried not to squirm. “When I got up in the morning—and I slept really well, by the way—I had a really nice shower, the bathroom’s fantastic, honestly, I’m looking forward to having a bath too… and after that I had breakfast and found some nice clothes, I really love the walk-in closet, whoever did the shopping for it did an amazing job…”

“That would be Raetsel.” Mytho chuckled. “I entrusted her with that particular task, and I am glad to know she did an exemplary job.”

“Oh, she totally did, I love all the stuff in there!” Ahiru nodded. “I had so much fun just trying stuff on, and having it fit for the first time, I’ve never gotten to wear fae-made clothing before, but I love it, it’s the _best_.”

“That is wonderful to hear.” Mytho’s smile widened. The sight of all those teeth should've been terrifying, and really, it wasn't all that pleasant a sight, but if she concentrated on the kindness in his eyes it softened the effect. Maybe she really could get used to that in time. “And after that?”

“Oh, uh, after that I decided to go to the library.” Ahiru twiddled her thumbs under the table, where Mytho couldn’t see her hands. “Raetsel said it was where the wifi connection would work best, and I wanted to email my family and let them know we got here safely, and I also wanted to look at books, so I went straight there.”

“Understandable. And what did you think of the library?”

“It was amazing too!” She was, Ahiru decided, going to entirely omit the asshole librarian and focus on the joys of the library itself, which she was determined not to let that jerk ruin for her. “So many books, and it’s really pretty, and just so fun to look around in! I got a little lost, but that was kinda fun too, and I found lotsa books to read, and I had a ton of fun just sitting by the fireplace and relaxing.”

“Good, good.” He regarded her with that same unreadable look. “And I suppose you became acquainted with Fakir, my librarian?”

“With—ah, yeah, yeah, I did.” Ahiru nodded, and tried not to let her opinion of said librarian show on her face. “Yeah, I talked to him a little, it went fine.”

“Really?” The expression in Mytho’s eyes changed to amusement. “That is most interesting to hear. Because I spoke to him earlier, and _he_ told me that it went disastrously. Not in such words, I am using my own choice of adjective, but—well, you do get the idea, I assume.”

“…yeah.” Ahiru’s shoulders slumped. “I do. I, um… well, I wasn’t gonna say anything, cause I don’t want to get him in trouble or anything—and you should _tell him I said that_ —but in my defense it wasn’t _my_ fault that it was a disaster.” She pouted. “He was just—he was so _rude_ to me, before I’d even _said_ anything, so of course I got mad at him! What was I _supposed_ to do, when he started things off by being a jerk for no reason?”

“Ah, you mustn’t pay Fakir any mind.” Mytho laughed again. “His bark is worse than his bite.”

“Well, his bark is plenty bad, then.” Ahiru folded her arms and scowled. “Like I said, I don’t want him to get in trouble or anything, or lose his job, I know he must do good work for you to have him here, but still, it really isn’t my fault that it went badly, I swear it’s not…”

“I know,” Mytho said gently. “You cannot be blamed for responding angrily to harsh words. And I am moved that you would nevertheless try to protect him, despite that he treated you so.”

“It’s—I’m not really trying to—it’s just… okay, honestly? I don’t like him.” Ahiru let her breath out. “At all. But at the same time I don’t want him to get in trouble or lose his job over it, you know? I know what it’s like to be afraid of that happening, and I definitely remember how it feels to be fired, and I don’t wish that on anyone. Even him.” Her voice dropped. “Please, just… I don’t know, I know it’s up to you about what to do about him and all, but I still don’t want... like, he was a jerk to me, sure, but I still don't think he deserves to lose his job, I don't want to kick him out just cause I don't like him...”

“I know,” Mytho repeated, his tone still gentle. “I have no intentions of terminating his employment here, set your heart at ease. I will, of course, encourage him to treat you more kindly, but his job will not depend on it. I assure you, if his employment here was dependent upon his temperament, he would have lost it long ago.” Another bark-like laugh. “It is not, however. And even then, I would never ask him to leave the palace. No matter what, Fakir will always have a home here. I have made that plain to him, and now I make it plain to you.”

“I… I appreciate it. More than I can say,” Ahiru whispered, relief flooding through her. “That… that means a lot to me.” She was starting to see why Freya had spoken so glowingly of him.

“I am more than pleased to oblige you.” Mytho scratched behind his ear again. “To move on, were you able to enjoy the laptop and the wifi despite your unpleasant encounter with Fakir?”

“Oh–uh–no,” Ahiru admitted. “But—but that part wasn’t his fault! It’s cause the wifi network needs a password, and I don’t know it, and he wasn’t around to ask and I didn’t think Raetsel would know it, so I just texted my family after lunch.” She wrinkled her nose. “Could you, um, maybe give me the password or make it so I don’t have to put one in? It’d be nice to actually use the internet tomorrow…”

“I am truly sorry, but I know little about such things and cannot help you.” Mytho shook his head. “I believe Fakir was the one who received the technicians who installed it, however, so the next time I speak to him I will ask him to make it accessible to you.”

“Okay, cool! That’ll be a big help!” Ahiru relaxed. “And like, it really is thoughtful of you to provide me with all this stuff, I’m so grateful.”

“It is the very least I can do for you.” Mytho’s eyes took on that solemn look again. “Your kindness in accepting my offer is many orders of magnitude more than these little trinkets with which I have bestowed on you… yet, all the same my heart is gladdened that you are enjoying them. As I have told you already, I am hopeful that you will learn to love this palace as your own home.” He lowered his head a little to better meet her eyes. “Are you any closer to that now, at the end of your first day?”

“Yeah, definitely!” Ahiru nodded. “I really love it here, it’s all so pretty, and there’s so many cool things, and really nice people, and I’m having a lot of fun. I mean, it’s strange not living with my family, but then, it’s only the first day, I’m sure I’ll get used to that. And there’s so much to do that I can’t imagine I’ll be bored, and it’s just so…” She paused to think. “Well, I dunno what word would be best to use, but it’s like nothing I’ve ever experienced before? I’ve never had my own bedroom or bathroom or such nice stuff, so it’s a huge treat.” Her gaze dropped to her lap. “I mean, not that I’m ungrateful for what my parents provided us with, it’s just…”

“This is something that was beyond their abilities, through no fault of their own?” Mytho guessed.

“Yeah.” Ahiru twisted the napkin a little. “But all of us, we always dreamed of being able to live, not exactly like _this_ , but better than we used to, and now we all get to, cause of you, and I’m… well, I’m trying not to feel guilty for liking all this stuff so much.”

“Ahiru, you needn’t feel distressed.” Mytho laid one massive paw on the table, as if to try and comfort her. “You and your family have deserved such finery for some time, and you do not have to forget your gratitude for the things they were able to give you in order to enjoy what I am providing for you all. Indeed, I cannot imagine such callous coldness from you—your heart is so warm and giving and full of goodness, you are the last person on this Earth that I would suspect of cruelty.”

“That’s… that’s really nice of you to say.” Ahiru swallowed past a lump in her throat. “I mean, I know you mean it, I just…”

“It is quite fine. I know you would not be so flippant towards anyone’s words to you.” Mytho took his paw off the table and stood up. “You are far better than you are currently giving yourself credit for being, Ahiru. You need not regret taking pleasure in what this palace has to offer, for it does not mean losing the core of who you are. Which is a truly wonderful and amazing young woman, with the purest, kindest heart I have yet to know.”

“If...if you say so.” Ahiru managed a small smile. “Sorry, I just… I guess I just had a moment there where I doubted myself, I dunno why…” That was a lie. She did know. Fakir’s accusations must’ve still been bothering her, and they’d crept up on her while she talked to Mytho about how much she really did like the palace. But Mytho was right, and Fakir was wrong, and she knew which one of the two she’d rather listen to. “I’m better now, don’t worry. Cause you helped!”

“I am glad to have encouraged you.” Mytho smiled. “Now then, I must take my leave, and you should return to your room as well—do not worry about cleaning up, the staff will see to that. I will come to you tomorrow night at dinner, to speak with you more.”

“Okay!” Ahiru set her napkin on the table beside her plate, and stood up. “Goodnight, Mytho!”

“Goodnight, Ahiru.” He nodded to her, and then loped out of the room. Ahiru waited for a moment, just watching him go, and then followed. Strangely, he was nowhere to be seen when she got back out into the hall, but Ahiru shrugged it off and headed upstairs. The lights were still on, which was a relief; she had no problems getting back to her room.

When she got there, she doffed her shoes and padded over to the windows. She could see the full moon beginning to rise, a glowing white orb amidst the countless stars splashed all over the nearly black sky, untouched by city lights. Ahiru took a moment to just gaze at them before shutting the curtains and going into the closet so she could pick out some nightclothes. After a long, hot soak in the massive tub, Ahiru settled into bed with one of her books, stretching all the way out in a way she never could in her bed back home. But eventually her yawns became deeper and longer, and she set the book aside before reaching out to untie the canopy curtains, letting them draw shut all around the bed before she shut off the light and surrounded herself in darkness.

***

It was the soft swishing of the curtains that woke Ahiru up. Or maybe she’d woken up in time to hear them, out of the need to switch positions and not lie on the sore spot she still had from the long ride here? Either way, she blinked at the dark, disoriented and unsure of how long she’d slept, as she listened to the sound of curtains being drawn apart. And she would’ve thought it was a dream, if the sound hadn’t been followed by the unmistakable weight of someone climbing into bed with her.

Ahiru froze. Now fully awake, her heart pounding and her breath catching in her throat, she just laid there at first, trying to make sense of what she was ninety-nine percent sure had just happened. For a long, tense eternity she couldn’t move at all, pinned there by fright. Then, as though her limbs were finally waking up along with her mind, she slowly, hesitantly reached out.

And touched someone’s arm.

Ahiru nearly screamed, but managed to clap her other hand over her mouth in time to muffle it. What the actual _fuck?_ This was really happening, there was no doubt as to that, but… _why?_ Why was there someone in her _bed?_ This couldn’t be some kind of mix-up, could it? Were there enough people living in this castle for that to happen? That was… that was just too bizarre. But whatever was going on, she needed to see who this was and then get them the hell out of here, right away. She fumbled for the lamp on her bedside table.

There was just one problem: the lamp wasn't working. It clicked over and over as she repeatedly tried to turn it on, but no light flooded the room. Had it gotten unplugged somehow? Ahiru got out of bed and went over to the wall, feeling around in the dark for the general area she knew the outlet was in. No, the cord was still firmly in the wall. Maybe the bulb had come loose? She waved her hands through the air until one collided with the lampshade, and she couldn’t help but let out a small yelp as she jumped forward to stop the lamp from teetering off the table. It was impossible to do anything in the pitch black. She felt around for the lightbulb and tightened it to be sure before setting the lamp back where she thought it belonged, but no luck. Maybe the power was out? There was nothing she could do about that. And in all fairness it did make sense, given that they were in an isolated area up in the mountains.

Didn't make this any less scary to deal with, though. She tried to swallow, her throat dry in her terror. After an eternity, in which she tried to gather up her courage and find the right words to say, she finally managed to speak. “Um… hello? A-are you… I mean… I think you’re in the wrong room…” Her voice dwindled away into nothingness, her burst of bravery already spent.

Silence. The silence stretched on and on, until Ahiru found herself growing angry. “Hey!” She climbed back onto the bed, and reached out with both hands so that she could shake the intruder. “You’re—you’re not supposed to be here! Get out!”

Still nothing. And as Ahiru took a deep breath to try and calm down, she realized: the stranger was asleep. Their breathing was deep and even, and they weren’t budging. Whoever they were, they’d climbed into her bed and gone right to sleep without even bothering to explain themselves. If they even knew what they were doing when they did it.

Well. That wasn’t going to stand. Asleep or not, she was _not_ going to sleep in the same bed as a weirdo who’d wandered into the wrong room by accident. Grumbling to herself and tripping over every single thing she’d left on the floor, Ahiru got up out of bed and tiptoed across to the walk-in closet. She’d thought she’d seen some spare blankets in here before, and to her relief , she found them after five minutes of pawing around. She carried them out, grabbed a pillow from the bed, knocked over her pile of books, and made her grumbling way over to the couch. If only the ruckus of her running into the walls would wake her unwelcome guest and get them gone, but no such luck. Damn it. She bundled up on the couch, heart still jumping, all wound up. She ended up staring off in the direction of the bed for a very long time, before exhaustion finally set in, and she simply hoped she would be safe there as she slept.

***

She’d expected a stiff back or neck, of course. You didn’t sleep on a couch, even the most comfortable one in the world, without something aching the next day. It was just a fact of life. Today, though, she wasn’t sore at all, except for that slight spot on her butt from a long ride on a polar bear.

And it was probably because she was back in bed.

Ahiru yawned as she woke up, and rubbed her eyes. The events of the previous night were almost forgotten, like a bad dream that got lost once you fell back asleep. She stretched, and smiled blearily to herself. The mattress on this bed really was amazing, much better than the one at home. That one always left her with sore hips after a while if she slept on one side too long; the box springs were just too old, and it’d been a long time since flipping the thing had helped. This, though, was a dream. She didn’t like seeing this side of the room any better than she had the previous morning, though, because of it reminding her how far away Malen was, so she rolled over onto her other side.

And froze as she saw the rumpled sheets and the indent in the pillows.

It all came back to her in an unpleasant rush: the sound of the canopy curtains being pulled apart, the weight of the person settling into bed with her, the horror of touching them and realizing that she wasn’t dreaming, her futile attempt to wake them. As well as her trip to the closet to fetch spare blankets. Spare blankets that were still over on the couch, though her pillow had been brought back over along with her. A cold chill ran down her spine. Who would even _do_ that? What the hell? Had the person woken up, realized their mistake, and brought her back to bed before leaving and finding their own room?

Yes. That had to be it. That would explain why they were no longer here, instead of having slept through the night by her side. They must’ve woken up at some point, had it dawn on them that they were in the wrong bed, and returned the rightful owner to _this_ bed before heading off to the correct room. That _had_ to be it. Nothing else made sense.

Yet Ahiru was still deeply unsettled, and remained that way even as she showered and then called Raetsel so she could get breakfast. She faked cheeriness as best she could, claiming that she’d stayed up too late reading when Raetsel noticed something off and questioned her. The person from last night had just made a mistake, and she’d just make a fuss by complaining about it now. Still, she didn’t feel up to anything as rich as French toast, not with her stomach in knots like this, so she did her best to polish off some cold cereal and white tea with ginger—to settle her lingering queasiness—and then got dressed in a sweater and jeans. After another bit of internal debate, she also grabbed a thick jacket and a pair of sneakers. Getting out of the palace, even if only for a little while and not very far, suddenly sounded _really good_ , especially when she tried turning the lamp on and found that it was working perfectly fine now.

Ahiru carried the sneakers downstairs with her, and stopped to put them on when she got to the huge front doors Mytho had opened up the night they got there. To her extreme frustration, they were way too large and heavy for someone as tiny as she was to open. And Mytho the giant polar bear was nowhere to be seen. Ahiru sighed. If she wanted to go wander around outside, she’d have to find another way. And if she didn’t feel like going all the way back up to her room to ring Raetsel and ask her, she’d have to do it on her own. And she really didn’t feel like doing that. Ahiru let out a little groan and turned her back on the doors so she could go find some other way outside. If all else failed, she’d just go back through the conservatory or something and try to squeeze through those trellises. What a pain in the ass, though. She made a mental note to start carrying that bell around in her pocket so that she could more easily ask Raetsel stuff when she needed to.

Instead of heading straight in the direction of the conservatory, Ahiru went left, past the dining room and the other rooms on either side of it. She investigated those, but came up empty—all they were was a long, dark room with mirrors on all the walls, a large guest bathroom, and another room that had nothing at all inside it. And none of them had doors to the outside. So she continued on, until she hit the same stretch of wall at the very back of the palace. It had a lot of windows, round and gleaming in the pale sunlight that peeked feebly out from among the clouds that had gathered in the night, but no doors. Ahiru hesitated for a moment, and then headed left again. There was a door at the end, mirroring the one that led to the conservatory, and she really wanted to see where it led.

A myriad of scents slapped her in the face as she opened it: roasting garlic, onion being caramelized, various fresh herbs, and simmering tomatoes. Ahiru stopped in her tracks to stand there and take it all in, savoring the smells, and then let herself focus on the sights. Long counters stretched away on either side of the enormous room, with ovens and stoves down the middle, and a million different things hanging from the exposed beams or stuffed onto shelves mounted on the walls and above the windows. All sorts of things were cooking or being prepped for cooking, by a crowd of diminutive people, none taller than Ahiru herself, and all with pointed ears, delicate little wings poking out of the backs of their clothing, and hair colors across the entire spectrum. None of them noticed her, though, until a door banged open on the far side—leading to a huge pantry, it looked like—and the person coming through it spotted her. They stared. Ahiru stared back. And then they dropped the eggs they were carrying onto the stone floor with a huge crash.

“’Ey now! Wotcher doing there, watch it!” One of the fairy people—Ellylons, Ahiru remembered suddenly, they had to be Ellylons, little elves who dwelt primarily in groves and valleys and looked, as far as she remembered, exactly like this—turned to face the stunned coworker he was chastising. “What’s yer deal now, then, eh?”

“P–P–P–Person!” The Ellylon who’d seen Ahiru pointed a shaking finger at her. “In the ki–ki–kitchens!”

“Eh?” All the others turned along with the one who’d been doing the scolding, and all as one they gasped and backed away. Some dropped their cooking implements, but others waved them like weapons, in some cases scattering bits of hot oil or tomato sauce around. “Oi there! What gives ye leave to be trespassin’ in here, where ye don’t belong?”

“Oh, now, what’s all the fuss?” A plump woman with purple hair bound up in a bun, who was a little bit taller than Ahiru, came bustling in from another door, her arms full of flour sacks. “Something hap—oh!” Her already large eyes widened even further as she saw Ahiru. “Oh my, oh my… are you… are you lost, my dear?”

“Um, a little?” Ahiru swallowed. “Er, sorry, I was just… I wanted to go exploring outside and I thought this might be the way, but I guess not… sorry to cause such a disturbance.”

“No, no, it’s quite all right, we’ve seen worse.” She dumped the flour sacks onto the counter and came bustling through the crowd of staring Ellylons. “I’m Ebine, the head chef here… may I presume that you are Ahiru, the girl the—that Mytho has brought here to live with us all?”

“Yeah, that’s me.” Ahiru held her hand out. “Nice to meet you, Ebine.”

“Oh no, the pleasure’s all mine.” Ebine seized her hand in both of hers and shook it vigorously before letting go. “I am so—well, for one thing, it’s good to meet the girl who’s been so appreciative of our work here.” She beamed. “Raetsel and Mytho both have passed along your compliments on the meals we’ve made for you, and it’s such a balm to the soul to know that our work is being enjoyed.”

“Of course! It’s been really really good! Amazing, really!” Down at the other end of the room, a couple of Ellylon were cleaning up the broken eggs, while closer to her the others were starting to relax and resume what they’d been in the middle of. Clearly the approval of their head chef was enough for them to stop caring about the uninvited visitor. “I don’t think I’ve ever eaten anything so good, honestly.”

“You are far, far too kind.” Ebine smiled, her eyes full of real warmth. “Now then, you were looking for a door to the outer parts of the palace?”

“Yeah.” Ahiru nodded. “Do you know where I can find one?”

“Naturally! There’s one right here, in fact!” Ebine grabbed her hand again, and led her past the Ellylons who were now full-on ignoring them and focusing on their work. When she turned, Ahiru saw small wings extending from the back of her blouse, identical to the ones all the Ellylons had. Was Ebine an Ellylon as well? She seemed a bit too tall, but then, not like Ahiru had much experience outside of stories. Ebine tugged Ahiru past pots and pans and cutting boards that smelled of Freya’s herbs. “Just this way, you did indeed stumble upon the correct place. Or, _a_ correct place.” She laughed and let go of Ahiru’s hand as they came to a door in the wall, old and wooden. “Right through here you’ll reach the back portions of the palace grounds, and it shouldn’t be too difficult for you to find your way to the front, if you so desire.”

“Sounds good.” Ahiru smiled back, and nodded her thanks. “I’ll leave you all to your work, then—and I can’t wait to eat more of it!”

“We will work our hardest for your sake, then!” Ebine waved at her as she walked away, and Ahiru waved back before turning around and beginning her wandering in earnest.

It was even chillier outside than it had been yesterday, thanks to the growing cloud cover. Ahiru zipped up her jacket as she walked along, shivering a little as an icy breeze whipped at her hair and cheeks. It couldn’t be long before the first snow arrived. The grass beneath her feet was still crusty with frost. The valley stretched on endlessly ahead of her, the mountains nothing but distant points, and if she turned her head she could see the winding path leading to the massive structure of the greenhouse way off to her right. It didn’t take her long to find the gardens—fields at that point, really—and orchards, all lying fallow and quiet for now. Or asleep, as Raetsel had put it, waiting for spring to awaken them. Since it wasn’t very interesting to look at, Ahiru kept walking, going left as she knew that going right would just take her past the greenhouse.

It took her quite some time, but eventually she rounded the palace and came within view of the lake. So far she’d only seen it from a distance, on Mytho’s back and then from her bedroom window, and it was even more breathtakingly beautiful closer up. It’d clearly frozen over already, making it shine even in the weak sunlight, though Ahiru doubted the ice could hold any weight. She merely stood at its edge, beneath a pine tree that swayed slightly in the wind and lent the scent of its fragrant needles to the frigid air, and tried to imagine what it was like in the warmer months. Raetsel had said something yesterday about it lacking wildlife; that must have meant that when spring and summer rolled around, there were animals there. Probably birds, a thought that excited Ahiru. Given the name of the palace, there had to be swans, but she found herself especially hoping for ducks. Maybe she could take a picture of them when they returned, and send it to Malen.

With that happy thought on her mind, she continued walking, past the lake and down towards the front of the palace. She found what looked like a garage there, in a spot that would’ve been well-hidden from her view when she rode up on Mytho, with a driveway that led into a long, winding road that disappeared into what looked like a pass between two mountains, at the other end of the valley, off to the side from the gorge he’d brought her through. That must’ve been what he’d told her about last night, a road leading to this Goldenkrone town where Raetsel did all the shopping for the household. Ahiru eyed the roadway for a while, pondering, but it was probably too far, and maybe too dangerous, to walk. Maybe she could get a ride with Raetsel sometime, just to see the town. If it was somewhere that Raetsel could freely shop without worrying on a regular basis, and was even connected to the palace by a road, then it was somewhere Ahiru was deeply, deeply curious about. Plus, given Raetsel’s seeming obliviousness to most things human, she couldn’t help but smile at the thought of the sylph sitting behind a steering wheel. Maybe someone else did the actual driving part.

Right now, though, she had more pressing matters on her mind. Such as the matter of lunch. A pitiful rumbling caught Ahiru’s attention, calling to her attention the emptiness of her stomach. Casting a regretful look at the open valley around her, she headed back the way she came so that she could eat a nice lunch in her room.

Once she’d eaten, she grabbed her laptop and went back down to the library. This time, she would definitely get to use the wifi, to send her family a longer email with more details about her travels and how she was finding the palace so far (omitting the bizarre happenings of last night since that would just worry them), and maybe even do a little browsing. She’d always had to time her online sessions back at home, and make sure that she didn’t store any passwords, and delete her internet history just to be sure. There was no danger of Paulo or Paulamoni snooping, but there sure was of _Lilie_ with her nefarious purposes. Going on the internet on her own laptop, in a relaxed fashion and without having to take any precautions or stick to a time limit, was new to her. And it would be fun! So many sites she could explore now, and maybe she could even look into taking some online courses, some of the ones she’d looked at in the past but never found the time for. She practically bounced in her seat at the thought. Almost like going to university. Almost.

Her excitement was short-lived, though. Because as soon as she logged on, she found that the wifi network was just as inaccessible as it had been yesterday, still requiring some unknown password in order for her to use it. So much for Mytho talking to Fakir about this! She didn’t know what had gone wrong, whether Mytho hadn’t gotten the chance to do what he’d said or if Fakir had decided that since he wasn’t gonna get in trouble for being a dick he’d continue to make life harder for her, but either way it was deeply annoying. Ahiru took a deep breath to steady herself, and then took off in search of her least favorite person.

In a stroke of luck, she found Fakir relatively nearby, reshelving books from a stack held in his arms. He was dressed similarly to how he'd been yesterday, dark slacks and button-up vest and white shirt, long black hair pulled back in another slightly messy ponytail that hung down past his broad shoulders. Despite herself, she paused for a moment to study him. He had big hands, one of which had a small white scar on the back that contrasted sharply with his brown skin, but he treated the books gently, shelving them with care and ease. He seemed to know exactly where each one went without having to look at anything, and slid them into place to rejoin the others. There was a—well, she didn't know what word to describe it with, but when he wasn't glaring he actually wasn't bad looking at all, even if his nose was a little on the big side. Ahiru's face warmed a bit at where her thoughts had gone, but she kept watching him a little bit longer anyway. Then she took a few tentative steps forward and cleared her throat. He glanced over as soon as he heard her, and his forest green eyes narrowed as he spotted her. “Um, hi. I know we got off on the wrong foot yesterday, but I was hoping that–”

“ _You_ ,” he interrupted, his thick brows drawing together in a scowl. And just like _that_ , any attraction she might've felt just now died a quick death, the effect of his handsome face ruined by his unpleasant personality. “What do you want?”

She was not going to lose her temper with him. She was _not_. “Well, I mean, like I said, we got off on the wrong foot yesterday, and I was hoping to make that right and start over.” Ahiru summoned up her best fake smile, the one reserved for the most horrible of customers that she needed to please or at least not piss off, and offered up her hand. “I told you my name, but you didn't say yours, and even though Freya told me what it is later, that doesn't really count, and I thought we should do this properly this time. So, I’m Ahiru, and you’re—?”

“Busy.” Fakir bounced the pile of books in his arms slightly, just enough to get his point across without actually hurting their pages or spines. “Just get on with it.”

“You know, I’m _trying_ to be polite here!” Ahiru stomped her foot. “The least you could do is—”

“Mmmm. Polite? Really?” Now he looked amused. “Doesn’t seem to have lasted even three minutes, does it?”

“Only because _you_ are acting like such a jerk!” Ahiru crossed her arms and glared at him. “Would it _really_ kill you to—”

“Whatever,” Fakir cut her off. “We both know you’re only trying to be polite because you want something, so spit it out. I don’t have all day to waste on putting up with you.”

Ahiru took a few deep breaths and counted to five before speaking again. He was right about her wanting something, so might as well get it over quickly. “Okay, so…I was hoping to use the wifi that’s been installed here recently, only it requires that I put in a password to connect to it, and I don’t know what the password is. Mytho said he’d talk to you about making it accessible to me, but he must not have gotten the chance to yet. So could you do that?”

“He talked to me about it last night, actually.” Fakir shrugged, and Ahiru felt her temper spike again. So, he _had_ decided to just continue being a pain in the ass. “But I have no idea how to go about doing something like that, so I didn’t.”

Or maybe not. Ahiru stared at him. “What? But–you’re _human!_ ”

“Tch. Didn’t anyone ever teach you not to go around making assumptions about people?” He rolled his eyes. “Just being human is no guarantee of technological mastery. I’ve never gone online before, I have no clue how to do any of that shit. I've lived here most of my life, and this is the first time we've ever had internet. The people who installed the wifi told me the password, I wrote it down, and I’ve done nothing with it since.”

“Oh.” Ahiru frowned. “Then… can I have it? Please?”

“We-ellllll, since you said _please_ …” Fakir said in an exaggerated, sarcastic tone.

Ahiru barely had time to roll her eyes before he’d taken off through the shelves. She found herself quickly falling behind, due to his longer strides. “Hey, wait up!” she protested.

“If you can’t keep up, that’s your problem,” he called over his shoulder.

“Douchebag,” Ahiru muttered under her breath, even as she broke into a run. She never managed to catch up to him all the way, but she at least kept him in her sights until they reached their destination, an old wooden roll-top desk beneath a small, round window. As she caught her breath, Ahiru watched Fakir pull a small key out of his pants pocket and use it to unlock first the desk itself, and then one of the smaller drawers beneath the roll-top. He then retrieved a piece of lined paper that had been neatly folded up, and carried it over to her.

“Here.” He held out the slip of paper. “Your password, madam.”

“Thanks,” Ahiru said, ignoring her impulse to snatch the paper out of his hand. The words tumbled out of her mouth out of habit—a habit she definitely needed to break—and she winced at first, but then relaxed. Fakir was human, it was okay to say thanks to him. Just this once, though: she needed to get out of the habit of saying it at all, so that she wouldn't slip up with Mytho or Raetsel or Freya. That'd be easy, though, as she doubted he was gonna do anything ever again that _deserved_ any thanks.

“Whatever.” He shrugged again, even as he locked the desk back up. “Will that be all you need from me? Or can I get back to my job now?”

“Yeah, you can get back to your job now.” Ahiru tried not to roll her eyes. “That’s all I needed. Enjoy your work.”

“Oh, I will, especially now you won’t be bothering me anymore.” And with that he was off again, walking seemingly as quickly as he could back to wherever he needed to put the rest of the books he was still carrying.

“Not like I wanted to talk to you in the first place!” Ahiru shouted after him, well aware that it was a pitiful comeback as she said it. She made a face in the general direction he’d gone in, and then forced herself to calm down. Whatever. She had the password now, that was all that mattered. She didn’t need to deal with that asshole anymore now that she knew it. And since he wasn’t internet-savvy, he was unlikely to change it on her to make her life hell. Especially given that that would mean more interaction with her. So, she was good for now.

Cheered up somewhat by that thought, Ahiru returned to the sitting area, where she’d left her laptop. She entered the password, held her breath, and delightedly let it out when it worked. Finally! Now she could properly update her family on (nearly) everything that had happened to her since she’d left home. Ahiru wasted no time in opening up Chrome, logging into her Gmail account, and starting her email. It took a while to write and send, mostly because of her own difficulty in knowing what to say and trying to remember everything she wanted to tell them, but at last it got sent to all of them. Ahiru leaned back against the sofa, satisfied. There. Done. Now she could relax and try browsing some sites, without any of the limitations that existed at home.

Ahiru wound up spending the better part of the afternoon in the library, relaxing and browsing the web while soaking up the calm, forest-scented atmosphere and letting herself unwind. The fact that Fakir never even walked by, apparently occupied elsewhere, improved her mood considerably, and she refused to let herself dwell on him. No sense ruining her day by stewing about his rudeness. He’d probably _want_ that, anyway, and she would _not_ give him the satisfaction. Ugh, no wonder he rarely left the library—she'd bet half her newfound fortune that nobody else could stand him either. What a prick.

Her time in the library did have to come to an end eventually, though, and as afternoon edged into evening, she put her laptop into hibernation and hurried back upstairs to her room to dress for dinner. For another dinner with Mytho, she amended, fresh excitement shimmying through her. This time, she selected a beautiful violet dress that looked like something a medieval lady might wear. Or a Disney Princess. Ahiru giggled at that. Her! A princess! What a silly idea. But it was fun to dress like one anyway, even if it was only for a few hours. She put her hair up again and then all but danced downstairs to the dining room.

Once again, it was empty but for herself, with a place set at the same chair where she’d sat last night, and food laid out for her to eat. Ahiru wasted no time in digging in once she’d arranged her napkin to prevent herself from ruining her beautiful dress, reveling once again in the sublime taste of it all. Ebine and her Ellylon staff really were geniuses at cooking.

As with the night before, she was about halfway through her meal when the doors swung open and Mytho walked in. Butterflies fluttering in her stomach, she wiped her mouth with a napkin and beamed at him, hoping nothing was stuck in her teeth. “Hi! Good evening, Mytho!”

“And a good evening to you,” he replied as he joined her at the table. “I trust that this day has indeed found you well?”

“Totally!” He didn’t need to hear about the weirdo in her room last night. She’d keep that one to herself and pretend that everything was fine. And really, how did you even begin to talk about something like that? The very thought was mortifying, and honestly she just didn’t want to worry him and make him think she hated it here, or offer to send her home. Her family needed the money. She could overlook a one night freak occurrence for their sake. “I wandered around a bit, and met Ebine, and saw some of the grounds and the lake, and then after lunch I went back into the library and got on the internet.”

“I see.” Mytho nodded. “So Fakir was able to make it accessible for you, then?”

“Yeah.” Technically. But Mytho really didn’t need to know the exact details of how that had gone down, and she didn’t feel like ruining their time together by complaining about Fakir again. “I got to send that email to my family, telling them about all the stuff I’ve seen and done and all, and then I just went to some fave sites and relaxed till dinner.”

“I am glad you are able to converse with your family.” He shifted himself into a sitting position. “I know that was one of your concerns before coming here, after all. And do you… tell them everything, then?”

“Mostly, yeah.” Ahiru took a sip of her drink. “I mean, I don’t want to worry them or anything, you know? So I just stick to the good stuff, like all the cool stuff I’ve seen and that you’ve given me, and I leave out crap like, say, what happened with Fakir yesterday.” And unseen freaks catching forty winks in her bed in the middle of the night.

“Ah. An excellent approach.” Mytho nodded and smiled. “That is heartening to hear—both that you continue to be close to your family, even at this distance, and that you would seek to paint a happy portrait of your life here.”

“Oh, for sure!” Ahiru paused to take one last bite of her meal before going on. “And I mean, I’m not lying or anything, you know? Cause it generally has been pretty great so far and I’m really enjoying being here. I’m still getting used to not having them around, but overall it’s a really fantastic palace and I’m grateful for this opportunity for all of us.” For Malen most of all, if she was honest—she’d sent her a second email, one for her eyes only, asking if she’d made an appointment at that fae clinic yet. Hopefully she’d get an answer tomorrow confirming that yes, she had.

“That does me a world of good to hear.” Mytho regarded her with something unreadable in his eyes. “For despite what I have told you, I think you are still, for the most part, unaware of how truly long I have waited for someone like you, how elated I am to have you here at last. It is a treasured hope of mine that you find it in your heart to love this place wholly and unreservedly.”

“I know. And don’t worry, I’m sure I will.” Ahiru pushed her empty plate away and dabbed at her mouth with her napkin. “Like, I already really like it, and I’ve only been here a couple days, so… yeah. That makes me think that it’s really only a matter of time before I love it as much as you’re hoping I will.”

“A matter of time… yes, I believe so.” Mytho nodded slowly. “I only hope that time will be on both our sides.”

Ahiru frowned. “What do you mean by that?”

There was a lengthy pause, and then Mytho shook his head. “Nothing you need to be concerned with. Forgive me; I do not mean to cast a pall upon such a pleasant evening by worrying you with allusions to things I am not permitted to speak of. Please, put it out of your mind and tell me more about your day, and what you enjoy so about this palace.”

“Well, um… pretty much everything?” Ahiru laughed, despite Mytho’s cryptic words. “Like, the library is probably my favorite, just cause it’s so big and beautiful and amazing, but I also love the greenhouse, and I bet the outdoor gardens are gorgeous in the spring, and same with the lake… I can’t wait to see it when it gets warmer!” Ahiru almost bounced in her chair in excitement. “Raetsel said there’s no wildlife there now, but I’m assuming there’s birds and stuff during spring and summer… what kinds?”

“Well, to start off with… as you might imagine from our palace’s name, it is frequented by swans.” Mytho smiled. “You will be treated to the sight of many a mother swan and her cygnets gliding by when the time comes.”

“Yeah, I did figure that.” Ahiru nodded. “What else? Are there ducks?”

“Yes, indeed.” Mytho nodded back at her. “They are not so plentiful as the swans, but ducks do make their homes upon the lake in the warmer portions of the year.” He tilted his head. “Are you, perhaps, a fan of them?”

“Yeah.” Ahiru blushed. “They’re my favorite animal, actually.”

“Then you are in for a treat.” His smile was back. “There are a number that always choose to brood here, so you will get to see them with their offspring once spring arrives.”

“Oh! That’s awesome!” Now Ahiru did bounce in her chair, unable to contain her excitement. “I love ducklings, they’re so cute!”

“That you have found another thing about this place to bring you joy gladdens my heart.” Mytho’s eyes softened, and she could see warmth shining in them. “I too anticipate the spring, and am happy to hear your intent to still be here at that time.”

“Of course.” Ahiru tilted her head. “Where else would I go?”

“Well… you did speak of visiting your family.” His eyes were unreadable again.

“Yeah, but that’s all it’d be, a visit.” Ahiru smoothed her dress. “I made a promise to you, remember? I’m not gonna break it any more than you’re gonna break the one you made to me.”

“I am heartened to hear that. Truly. Yet still, I…” He cut himself off, sighing. “Never mind. I must not fret and allow my worries to transfer to you. Think only pleasant thoughts, Ahiru, and focus on your own enjoyment of all that this palace has to offer you. Do not be troubled by things you do not understand.”

“Uh, sure, okay.” She’d try, at least, even though it really didn't help when he went all weird and clammed up like that. What was _with_ that, anyway? “I really do like it a lot here, though. I hope you know that.”

“I do.” Mytho’s eyes softened again, and he smiled. “And I think I shall end our evening on that note. As lovely as you look in that gown.” Ahiru blushed furiously, though she didn't know why. Well, she didn't often get complimented on her appearance, so that probably explained it. Probably. “Goodnight, Ahiru. Goodnight, and only sweet dreams may you have.”

“You too!” Ahiru called after him as he turned and left. She followed him out after she’d put her napkin on the table, and was unsurprised to find that he’d already vanished from sight. Well. That was nothing new, so it didn’t—heh—bear worrying about. Oh, bad pun! She half-groaned, half-giggled to herself as she realized what she’d just thought. Malen would’ve appreciated it if she was here, something that gave her a slight pang but also some warmth. Malen always had time for Ahiru’s rather unusual sense of humor.

Instead of a bath, Ahiru opted for hot chocolate and Netflix after changing into some pajamas and braiding her hair. All the walking she’d done today and her interrupted sleep last night had worn her out more than she’d thought, though, so she woke up with a start part-way through the second episode of the show she'd chosen. Yawning and rubbing her eyes, Ahiru shut the TV off, left her empty cocoa mug on the table where she ate breakfast, and clambered into bed. Then she got back out of bed, and went over to the door so she could lock it. She didn’t think the weirdo from last night would be back, but it didn’t hurt to be careful just in case. Giving the now-secured doors a sleepily triumphant look, she turned out the light, pulled the curtains closed, and was asleep again within minutes.

Her sleep was undisturbed all night, and she didn’t wake up until the alarm she’d set on her phone started going off. Ahiru yawned and hit the button to dismiss it without even opening her eyes. Oh, how good it felt to get a full night’s sleep! She felt so well-rested and content that she let out a happy sigh. Did it seem a little lighter in here than it had yesterday, though? Maybe it was a sunnier day today. She opened her eyes.

And went very still.

Unlike the previous morning, she’d woken up with her back to the left side of the room, facing away from the walk-in closet. That meant that she had an unobstructed view of the canopy curtains hanging open on the right side of the bed. And the canopy curtains being open meant that it was just light enough for her to see the rumpled sheets and the indent in the pillow, on the side she definitely hadn’t slept on.

What the _fuck?_

Ahiru scrambled into a sitting position, scooting to the very edge of the bed and wrapping the blankets tightly around herself, as if that would protect her from an intruder that wasn’t even there anymore. Hadn’t—hadn’t she _locked the door?_ That should’ve kept anyone from getting in! And besides that, why would anyone _want_ to come in here and sleep with her? She’d assumed that the unseen weirdo joining her had been a one-off freak occurrence, someone merely stumbling into the wrong room, but this? This suggested it had been on purpose. _Why?_ That made no sense!

A small sob bubbled up in Ahiru’s throat, and she muffled it with the bedsheet still clutched in her hand. Mytho had asked her the night they met to accept his home ‘warts and all’. And just last night he’d told her not to be troubled by things she didn’t understand. Did he really know what he was asking of her? To accept that someone was getting into her room at night, even through a locked door, and sharing her bed without asking? Was that really something she was expected to accept, to not ‘be troubled’ by? She had half a mind to throw on a robe, tear the castle apart in her search for Mytho, and demand answers from him.

The other half of her mind, though? Knew that he probably wasn’t going to give them to her. Ahiru’s shoulders slumped. She’d only spent a small amount of time around him, true, but she’d already noticed his reticence and reluctance to talk about stuff that might bother her, how he seemed to ask questions more than he answered them, and barely volunteered any information at all. Hadn’t he even said outright that there were things he wasn’t permitted to speak of? Yeah. So interrogating him on this wasn’t gonna get her anywhere, any more than trying to talk to Fakir got her anything but a headache. Ahiru sighed. Her choices, it seemed, were to put up with it as best she could, or tell him that she’d changed her mind and wanted to go home.

… No. That wasn’t a choice at all. Ahiru’s spine stiffened. Go home? Not an option. As much as this whole situation creeped her out, as much as she missed her parents and sisters, she couldn’t change her mind and go home. She didn’t know why Mytho was hoping so much for her to love this place, or why he wanted her to ignore weird shit she didn’t understand, but that wasn’t as important as the fact that her family was depending on her to stick this out more than a few days. They needed that money. Malen needed to get better healthcare. She was _not_ going to be a selfish coward and run just because someone decided they liked her bed better than their own. They hadn’t done anything but sleep and return her to her own bed, after all. She could endure that for the sake of her family’s wellbeing. No, she _would_ endure it. For all of them.

Her jaw set with the fresh new resolve rising inside her, Ahiru got up to face another day.

***

A week passed.

Every evening, the strange person returned to her bed in the middle of the night. Ahiru tried various things to try and avert the situation: locking the door, _barring_ the door by shoving the chest at the foot of the bed up against it, going to sleep on the couch or even in the bathtub one night. None of it worked. Every morning, she woke up in her bed, regardless of where she’d started the night, with evidence that the mysterious stranger had slumbered beside her. Any attempts to prevent them from entering failed. After a few nights of that Ahiru started trying to push them out of bed when they got there, or to talk them into leaving, but she never got a response, nor was she able to make them budge. She could feel them wearing clothing, and they didn't seem to have wings or horns, so she assumed they were in a more or less humanoid shape. Assuming was all she could do, though, because the stupid lamp never worked when they were there. At all other times it never so much as flickered, but when the stranger was in her bed? Forget about it. It was the same with her phone. She hadn't thought of using it that first night, because she'd been too startled and scared to think straight, but after that she'd started keeping it on her bedside table. But it, like the lamp, just outright refused to go on. Didn't matter if the battery was fully charged, all she got for her trouble was a dark screen. Worked perfectly in the morning, of course. Just not in the middle of the night when she had company and really needed it. By the end of the week she’d pretty much resigned herself to not being able to either see or evict her unwanted guest. It still pissed her off, but the fight was slowly going out of her as it became more and more obvious that it was getting her nowhere and thus wasn’t worth it. They didn't seem to want to do anything but sleep, anyway, and had never so much as tried to touch her, much less harm her, so she could live with it even if she didn't like it.

The days she occupied as best she could, via exploring the palace and the grounds, visiting the greenhouse, watching Netflix on her TV, reading books, and hanging out in the library to browse the internet or just chill. Fakir was still a dick every time she interacted with him, but what else was new? Ahiru was starting to get used to that, too. At least she had her lovely dinners with Mytho to look forward to at the end of every day. Those brought her so much joy that she could temporarily forget about all the unpleasant shit lurking at the corners of her luxurious new life.

Her family seemed to be doing well too. Malen had set up an appointment at the fae clinic in the city, for a couple weeks from now—it was notoriously hard to get in there—and though she wasn’t looking forward to breaking the news to Paulamoni, she was excited about going and seeing what they could do for her. They were all still living in the rental house for now, but that was about to change too. Their parents—having more or less patched things up to some degree, much to Ahiru’s relief—had gone house-hunting, and had just put in an offer on a mansion in another suburb. The offer had been accepted, so now all they had to do was wait for escrow to close while they packed up what they had and planned what to furnish the new place with. Malen was going to keep living with their parents for at least a while, for obvious reasons, and so were Pike and Lilie, until they figured everything out. It was a reluctant decision in Lilie's case, though: her impulse had been to move into a mansion of her own right away, but after some arguing Pike had convinced her to hold off for a while until she had a more solid plan for what she wanted to do and where she wanted to go.

And that was the very question before Ahiru this particular day as well: where did she want to go and what did she want to do on this autumn afternoon? It’d been raining pretty steadily since this morning, a harsh icy rain that was starting to pelt her window with hail, so wandering around outside didn’t sound too safe or appealing. She could stay here, it was nice and cozy in her room, but she really wasn’t in the mood to watch anything on TV. Going on the internet to browse online college courses and maybe getting a new book to read for later sounded much better, so she grabbed her laptop and the thermos of hot herbal tea she’d had Raetsel bring up after lunch, and headed down to the library.

It really was her favorite spot in the palace. Well, okay, the greenhouse was at least tied with it—it was just as beautiful, after all, and didn't have an asshole in charge. In fact, hanging out with Freya had become her primary reason for going there so much lately. But she really did love the library too. The forest smell, the abundance of books, that nice sitting area with the fireplace—it all combined into one amazing location that even Fakir couldn’t spoil for her. Ahiru couldn’t help but smile as she walked in, and headed straight to her favorite sofa to get set up. She could hear the rain and hail outside, but the fire was warm and lively, the woodsy aroma was as strong as ever in combination with the scent of old books, and she had tea and wifi and a comfortable seat. This was going to be a _good_ afternoon.

It didn’t take long for a damper to get slapped on it, though. Ahiru had only just started checking out a college's website when her least favorite person in the world walked over, pushing a cart full of books to reshelf. Ahiru restrained a sigh of annoyance and pretended she didn’t see him, in hopes that he would ignore her too.

It worked. Or, at least, she thought it did. After a while, Ahiru noticed that he only seemed to be shelving and arranging and even _dusting_ the books stored _really really close_ to where she was sitting. Not only that, but he kept sending surreptitious glances her way. Ugh, again? Really? He'd been doing this for days, and it was getting old. She hadn’t said anything yet because the last thing she needed was another argument, but she was so over this. If she didn’t know any better she’d suspect him of having a weird crush on her—ha! As if _that_ would ever happen!—but she _did_ know better. No, he was interested in something else, and after a few minutes of thinking it clicked: he was curious about her computer. Ahiru swallowed a giggle as she realized. It made sense, of course—after all, he’d told her on her second day here that he’d never used the internet before—but what a fucking nerd, to be so weird and trying to spy on her like this. Granted, he had little reason to think she’d be friendly if he actually asked outright, but whose fault was that? She’d made a few efforts to start a friendly conversation in the last week, because despite his initial behavior it seemed like it’d be nice to have a fellow human to talk to, but he’d rebuffed all of them. If he felt awkward about trying to start a conversation, that was _his_ problem. Of his own making, no less. See if she cared.

Eventually, though, caring about his social awkwardness ceased to be the problem. The new problem? After a week of him trying to peer over her shoulder, it wasn't just old, it was _ancient_ , and she'd just about had enough, both of his weird behavior and of trying to pretend like she hadn’t noticed. Finally, when her patience was at its end, Ahiru bit back a ruder question and asked, in a carefully controlled tone, “Can I help you with something?”

The sound of books hitting the floor was the first answer she got, and Ahiru turned her head to see Fakir bending down to retrieve the three books he'd dropped. “You?” He snorted. “Help _me_ with something?”

“Yes. Me. Help you with something.” Her amusement at Fakir’s ridiculousness started to creep back in. “I mean, look… I try to mind my own business, but if you’re not gonna mind yours, well, then…”

His eyes narrowed. “How, pray tell, am I not minding my own business?”

“Oh please.” Ahiru rolled her eyes, even as she smirked. “Do you really think you’re that subtle? I mean, okay, obviously you do, but I gotta tell you, you really aren't. I’ve totally caught onto what you’re doing."

"I’m not doing anything." Fakir rolled his eyes back at her. "Just say what you got to say so I can get on with my job."

"Oh, you’re _definitely_ doing something." Ahiru didn't budge, smirk widening on her lips. Maybe now was her chance to give Fakir a bit of his own medicine. She didn’t grow up with Pike and Lilie without learning a thing or two. “For days now you’ve been finding excuses to be over here, dusting and putting books away...staring at me when you think I won’t notice. Lingering around and making whatever you have to do here take twice as long, hell, maybe even coming up with things to do here just to be near me...it’s completely obvious.”

Fakir’s posture stiffened, and for a moment he stood rooted to the spot, his expression unreadable. Then he schooled his features into a mask of near-neutrality, kept from being truly neutral only by the disdain glinting faintly in his eyes. It dripped out of his voice when he spoke, too. “I have no idea what the fuck you’re talking about.”

“Oh, come _on!_ ” Ahiru rolled her eyes again. “Like hell you don’t! Just admit it!”

“I—!” Fakir began, but Ahiru overrode him with a satisfied smile, raising her hands triumphantly.

“You’re really curious about the internet! You did say you’ve never used it before, right?”

“I…did, yeah.” His shoulders relaxed a little. “So what?”

“Sooooooo you obviously want to learn about it a little bit.” Ahiru let out a sigh. “Just like I _just_ said. I mean, why else would you be hanging around near me?”

“Why else is right.” Fakir turned on his all too familiar glare, and Ahiru tried not to grit her teeth in irritation at the mere sight of it. “Fine. You got me. I’m a little bit curious about a thing I’ve never used before. Why’s that a big deal?”

“It’s not a big deal, it’s just…” Ahiru let her breath out in a huff. “If you want to know stuff about it, you could just ask, you know? Unlike you, I’m not gonna bite your head off for just speaking.”

“Right. And you’re going to be totally open and helpful when I ask you for something. Yeah right.” Now it was Fakir’s turn to roll his eyes. “There’s an idiot here, and it’s not me.”

“Actually, yeah, it is!” Ahiru folded her arms across her chest and glowered at him. “See, that’s your whole problem, right there. Why do you think people might not want to talk to you? Gee, could it be because you open up all conversations by being an asshole right off the bat? Wow, I just don’t know, it’s such a mystery.”

“Tch.” He rolled his eyes again. “You’re only proving my point.”

“I wasn’t done talking.” Ahiru took a deep breath. “The thing is, even though you’ve been rude to me before, I’m still willing to give you another chance. If you really want to learn stuff about what I’m doing, even learn to use the internet, you really can just ask me politely and I’ll talk to you. I’ll tell you what you want to know.” Her neck was starting to hurt by now, and not just from talking to him, so she shifted to a kneeling position, facing him with her arms braced atop the sofa. “Ask anything you want.”

“Why?” He lifted an eyebrow, actually looking confused. “What do you get out of it?”

“Right now I’m getting a headache, but that’s not the point.” Ahiru sighed again, shoulders slumping. “Can’t I just… be willing to try to get along with you, even though you’ve been really awful up to now? Isn’t that enough of a reason? I’m sick of always fighting with you and I think you wanting to learn something is more important than whatever we’ve said to each other before.”

“How noble of you.” The disdain came back in full force.

“I’m not trying to be noble or anything, just… fine.” Ahiru sighed again, more deeply this time. “Whatever. If you don’t want to actually ask me about this thing and behave like a decent person, that’s your choice. Excuse me for trying to reach out to you, I guess.” She resumed her normal sitting position and returned her attention to her laptop, not even caring about what he was going to say next. Any other day she would’ve kept the verbal sparring going, but right now she just felt tired. She just had to stop holding out hope that he’d ever start treating her with some basic human decency. Which was upsetting, because it would have been nice being able to talk civilly with the only other human in the palace, maybe even confide in him about the pieces of her new life she wasn’t able to discuss with Mytho, but it looked like that was never going to happen. Whatever.

In her current mood, she was only dully surprised when he didn’t immediately snap some vicious retort back at her. Dull surprise then gave way to near-total shock when he broke the silence by asking, in a tone that sounded carefully controlled to stay on the side of pleasant, “What’s so great about being online, anyway?”

“Huh?” Ahiru turned to gape at him. Judging by his expression, Fakir seemed to be in actual physical pain from the mere act of saying something that wasn’t totally dickish. If she wasn’t so stunned, she would’ve laughed. As it was, she just stared until he began to shift uncomfortably, and then snapped out of her shock. “It’s… well… well, it’s convenient, you know? Cause for one thing, it lets you talk to people who are really far away, without having to pay anything extra on top of normal charges, unlike calling someone long-distance on the phone.”

“I see.” Fakir nodded stiffly. “What else?”

“What else? Well…” Ahiru racked her brain for the best way to put it. “Another thing you can do, is look up information really fast. Not that it replaces books or anything, but you can’t exactly get current news by looking in a library book, you know? You can stay connected—literally—with what’s happening in the world while you’re sitting in your room or wherever.” Something else clicked, and her eyes went wide. “Oh yeah, and it’s really good for libraries too, cause it makes it easier to look stuff up in the system—especially if your local library is part of a county-wide system—for making requests and doing renewals and stuff. And of course it’s great for librarians themselves, when they need to know where to reshelve stuff.” Ahiru paused. “Come to think of it, how come you don’t have anything like that? How do you know where to return stuff to?”

“I don’t need it.” Fakir coughed and shook his head. “I know where everything belongs by now, and I have a card catalogue anyway. That works fine for me.”

“Sure, if you’re living in the Stone Age.” Ahiru rolled her eyes and laughed. “Though I guess I kinda get it, it’s hard to have that stuff here. Even the wifi that’s here now doesn’t run great cause of all the magic, and so you probably had to learn how to do things the old-fashioned way and you’re used to it by now. Right?”

“Yeah.” Fakir nodded reluctantly.

“That makes sense.” Ahiru nodded back at him. “But yeah, the internet is really great. It makes life easier in the ways I already told you about, and it’s also just so… so fun! Cause there’s tons of stuff to do, and tons of ways to interact with people and information is so easy to access, and you can meet people in faraway countries that you never could otherwise, and you can shop online and have stuff sent directly to where you live. And so many businesses are putting all their info and stuff online, and that’s where you _have_ to apply to jobs nowadays, there’s no such thing anymore as paper applications as far as I know, so it’s pretty much a necessity these days. You’re kinda screwed if you don’t have it, honestly.”

Fakir made a face. “That part doesn’t sound great.”

“Yeah, it can be a pain,” Ahiru admitted. “Especially given that you have to pay for it and everything. But, you know, the world changes and we just have to deal with it.”

Something strange flickered in Fakir’s eyes, and then was gone. “…yeah. I guess we do.”

“Yup.” Ahiru stretched her arms over her head and yawned. Maybe she should’ve had Raetsel bring her some caffeinated tea instead of herbal. “Anyway, was there anything else you wanted to know? About the internet, that is?”

“No. You can get back to it now. I’m done bothering you.” Fakir dumped a book into his cart and started to push it away. “Goodbye.”

“Uh-uh! No way!” Ahiru sprang up from the sofa and dashed after him. Even he didn’t dare go off running with a cart full of books in his hands, so he was stuck walking at a pace she could more or less keep up with. This was her chance! “I answered your questions, so now you have to answer _my_ questions!”

“You answered one question,” Fakir corrected her. “I asked you what was so great about being online, and you told me. Therefore, I only have to answer one question in return.”

“Nope! You asked _two!_ ” Ahiru waggled her finger and smirked. “I explained some stuff to you, and then you asked ‘what else?’ So, that means _I_ get two questions!”

“That sounds like a stupid technicality, but fine. I’ll indulge you.” Fakir sighed. “Two questions then, and two questions _only_. Don’t waste them.”

“I won’t!” Ahiru stuck her tongue out at him, and he rolled his eyes. “Okay, to start out with… the day I first came in here, and you chased me around—I never would have run if you hadn’t been so creepy, by the way—how did you know where I was? Because it was really stalkerish.”

Fakir huffed and crossed his arms. “You were the one being ‘creepy’, running around in here without wanting anyone to see you. And I was not being stalkerish. I was told where to find you. I just followed directions.”

“You were… oh.” Ahiru’s gaze dropped to the pile of books in the cart. Okay, that made sense. She remembered the fairies that had watched her that day on her way to the library, always skittering out of sight when she tried to look over at them. Hell, they _still_ did that. Some of them must’ve been in the library too, and tipped off Fakir to the ‘intruder’. Nothing more to it. She could put the whole incident to rest now. “Okay, then… for my second question… since you’re human, like me, I wanna know if Mytho made you an offer like he did to me, if he’s supporting you and your family too.” _And if there’s some weirdo sleeping in your bed every night too._ She didn’t say it aloud, not just because she was only allotted two questions, but because even if she could ask him as many as she liked that was just too weird to bring up right now, even if he was the only other human. They might have been holding their first civil conversation, but she couldn’t trust him yet, not with something like that. But asking if Fakir’s situation was like hers, that was okay.

“…Yes.” Fakir looked away, eyes scanning the shelves. “He’s… supporting us too.”

“Oh, okay.” Ahiru frowned. “But wait—why is he—”

“Nope,” Fakir interrupted, shaking his head. “That’s it, you’ve used your two questions, no more. Now get out of here, and let me get back to work.”

“Ugh, _fine_.” Ahiru glared at him, and then stomped off, trying her best to ignore the sound of him quietly chuckling.

At least she’d gotten _something_ out of him before he shooed her away, though. That was an improvement on their previous interactions, if nothing else.

So Fakir was just like her then. Well, not exactly. Mytho was always reminding her that he chose her because of her ‘pure heart’, whatever _that_ was supposed to mean. If Fakir had any sort of pure heart, he’d buried it a long time ago. But she’d used up all her questions, so she’d have to keep wondering just how a human like him ended up the librarian in a fae bear’s palace.

***

Another week passed. Ahiru started to spend less and less time in her room, more interested in what the rest of the palace had to offer her, with occasional ventures outside to explore. She always stuck close to the palace itself, never going out of sight of its walls, and as the weather kept getting colder she was more interested in basking in the warmth of the library or the greenhouse anyway.

Right now, it was the greenhouse she was headed for. Ahiru tied her shoelaces as tightly as she could, zipped her jacket up, adjusted her scarf, and tugged her mittens more firmly on her hands before she opened the conservatory door and went outside. It was a bitterly cold day today, and even if she was going somewhere that'd be nice and warm, she wanted to be well-prepared for the trek there.

True to what she’d heard in her room earlier, the wind whipped around her face and made her shiver and thank herself for being smart enough to bundle up properly. Ahiru maintained a swift pace in an effort to help warm herself up, and it seemed to help a little the closer she got to her destination.

When she finally reached the greenhouse, though, she didn’t get a chance to reach for the handle before the door swung open, revealing Freya in a dress and matching cloak and hat that resembled the petals of a snowdrop. Freya blinked, and then recovered herself quickly. “Oh! Ahiru! How lovely a coincidence! I was just coming to see you now.”

“You were?” Ahiru blinked back at her. Maybe she shouldn’t have been so surprised, considering that when you added it all up Freya was probably the person she’d spent the most time with (she didn’t count time in the library if she didn’t see Fakir or he ignored her) over the past couple weeks since she’d gotten to the palace, but she was. Probably because Freya rarely left the greenhouse at all. “How come?”

“Well…” Freya lifted her arms, and Ahiru noticed now that she had what looked like a picnic basket on one arm, and a brown sack draped across the other. “It’s a very special time of year, you see. Autumn is beginning the process of passing away into winter, but the transition isn’t complete yet. And in such a liminal time, you can find rare mushrooms in a glade in this valley. Only during this time, I might add. So I wished not only to go and gather them, but to invite you along to join me. Would you be amenable to it?”

“I’d love that!” Ahiru’s face lit up. “That sounds fun! I–I’m honored to be invited!”

“And I am honored that you accepted.” Freya smiled. “Very well then, come with me, for it is quickest to take one of the doors from within the greenhouse.”

“Okay!”

Ahiru followed Freya as she led her back through the greenhouse. By this point she’d seen nearly everything there was to see here, though there were still things to surprise her with even now. She suspected that Freya actually lived in here somewhere, in a private bedroom, but had never asked. That seemed intrusive. So did the question on her mind now: wouldn’t Freya freeze once they were outside? Her dress, cloak, and hat seemed warm enough, but her feet were still bare. Oh well, there must be a reason for it. Ahiru shrugged and put it from her mind.

Once they’d exited the greenhouse, Freya led her through open countryside, across a stretch of valley to the east of the palace, towards the edge of a glade of pine trees. The wind died down as they walked, which let Ahiru relax a little more. It was a much nicer stroll without that, after all. It took them what felt like twenty minutes to get there, and when they were just outside the woods Freya stopped and looked back at her.

“Ahiru, from here we have a little bit further to go—are you alright with continuing immediately, or do you require some rest first?”

“Nah, I’m fine.” Ahiru shook her head. “I appreciate your concern, though.”

“Very well.” Freya nodded. “I will be taking us on a path to a ruined structure some ways inside this glade—it is there that the mushrooms grow at this time of year.”

“What do the mushrooms look like?” Ahiru asked as they resumed walking.

“They have long, thick white stems, and pale green caps with tiny white spots on them.” Freya held back a branch so that they could pass through. “Those who do not know the difference tend to believe them to be a variety of toadstool, but there lies no poison within them.”

“Ah, okay.” Ahiru adjusted her scarf. “And… what are these ruins of, that we’re going to?”

“That I do not know.” Freya laughed. “Even Mytho cannot tell me. I suspect it to have been once a grand manor—not so wonderful as the palace, but then, what is?—but there is no way to be sure, not now, after so many ages have passed. Still, I think you will enjoy seeing them.”

“Alright.” Ahiru paused. "Um, wait, though—are you gonna be okay? Being barefoot, I mean... you're not gonna be cold or anything? Do you wanna go back and get some shoes? Or is this a fae thing and I should shut up now?"

"A fae thing...?" Freya glanced down at her feet. "Ah... yes, I suppose it is..." Her shoulders slumped a little. "I suppose some things do get inherited..."

Ahiru frowned. "Huh? Did—did I say something wrong? I'm sorry, I was just worried about you, sorry..."

"No, no, you have nothing to apologize for, I know you inquired only out of concern. It is only that..." Freya stopped, and Ahiru saw that she was clutching the picnic basket so tightly that her knuckles were as white as her dress. "Oh, Ahiru, forgive me, forgive me... it is I who has wronged you, I am so sorry..."

"Uh, what?" Ahiru blinked. "No, you haven't, you didn't do anything, I don't—"

"I have deceived you!" Freya's voice shook. "Most terribly! I..." She took a deep breath. "You see, I... that day, when we first met, you assumed I am a flower fairy, and I let you continue to think that, I did not correct you... but it is not the truth. I am not full fae, I am only half. Only half..."

"Er... okay..." Ahiru tilted her head slightly. "I...don't see why that's so bad, though? Like, I'm the one who was rude to assume, and you didn’t have to tell me anything you didn’t want to! And I don't see what the big deal is if you're only half-fae."

“You... you are not angry with me?” Freya's eyes went wide. “Despite that I lied to you?”

“Not at all.” Ahiru shook her head. “You had every right to keep it private if that's what you wanted, I can't get mad about that.”

“You... you can't... you're not...I...” Freya's face crumpled, and she clasped one hand to her mouth even as tears started spilling down her pale cheeks. “Oh, forgive me, Ahiru, I just... I was so frightened of telling you, I anticipated so much anger at my betrayal of your trust... I am so overwhelmed with relief right now, I cannot even tell you...”

“Hey, no, it's okay.” Ahiru dug into her jeans pocket and pulled out a packet of Kleenex. She’d taken to carrying one around as the weather got colder. Taking one out, she handed it to Freya, who gratefully accepted it and used it to wipe her face. “Don't worry about it, okay? I'm really not mad or anything, I swear.”

“I know. I know.” Freya sniffled. “It is just... oh, I feel like such a...” She hiccupped. “H-how do I explain? I should... that is... after being here for so long, in the employ of a wonderful person who doesn't see me as a lesser being simply because of my bloodline, I should be able to tell you freely about myself... yet still I felt such shame that I lied.”

"Well, some stuff is just hard to get out of the habit of.” Ahiru shrugged, trying to project some levity. “And you didn't know me that day, remember? I was just a stranger who'd wandered in.”

“Yes, but... I have had more than enough time since then to correct you.” Freya stared down at the used tissue in her hands. “You have sought out my company over and over and been so lovely to me, and in all that time not once did I correct your assumption about my heritage.”

“I really don't mind, though.” Ahiru shook her head. “Cause obviously it’s a big deal to you. You just weren't ready yet, and that's okay. We're still friends no matter what, alright?”

"I...” Freya paused, a look of wonder spreading over her tear-stained face. “You... you consider us to be friends?”

"Y-yeah, I do!" Ahiru blushed. "I—I've really enjoyed getting to know you, and hanging out, so of course I consider us friends... is that okay?"

"Oh, Ahiru, no need to worry about that." Freya shook her head and smiled. "I am delighted to call you friend as well, so long as you don't mind having a half-fae for a friend."

"Oh please." Ahiru rolled her eyes and laughed, even as she puzzled over why Freya considered being half-fae such a terrible thing. "You could be a _demon_ and I'd still want to be your friend."

"You are very kind indeed." Freya's smile suddenly went a bit distant, her red-rimmed eyes taking on a faraway look. "I haven't... told you all of what I am, now that you mention it."

"Oh, that's—that's okay, you don't have to talk about it if you're not comfortable." Ahiru shook her head. "I mean, it's really none of my business, and it'd be rude of me to ask, so..."

"But you did not ask. And I would like to." Freya's smile changed again, becoming wistful. "I so rarely get to talk about it, after all. As safe a place as the palace is, I am too accustomed to having to apologize for my existence or to try and hide my true heritage, to really open up to others often. But with you, I know I need not fear any sort of reprisal or judgment, so I wish to tell you."

"Oh, okay..." Ahiru swallowed. "I'm honored that you trust me, then."

"Your kindness is much more of an honor to me, I assure you." Freya adjusted her cloak. "Now then, when you guessed that I am a flower fairy, you were not too far off. My mother was an Anjana, a guardian of natural places who dwelt in a beautiful wood. And my father was a human who wandered into her forest and fell in love with her, and she with him."

 _Was_. Ahiru felt a cold chill go down her spine. "Oh... that... um... that's why you're so good with plants?" She winced as soon as the words were spoken. It was all she could think of to say, but it sounded terrible coming out of her mouth.

"Yes." Freya seemed to sigh. "And maybe if the whole world were as understanding as those who dwell here, I might never have met you, but would still be living in that wood even now. But the other fae occupying the forest banished my mother for bearing the offspring of a human, and humans despised my father for consorting with fairy creatures, so we found ourselves without a home. And for a few years we wandered, until we heard of this place and the sanctuary it offered to all, regardless of bloodline." Freya's gaze dropped. "The rumors turned out to be true, of course, but a happy ending was not in store for us. My father succumbed to illness on the road, and my mother withered and died a few months after our arrival here, from a broken heart brought on by her losses. My memories of them are few and faded, for I was really very young still."

"Oh, Freya..." Ahiru whispered. "I'm so sorry..."

"No." Freya shook her head. "I am grateful for your kindness, but do not worry about me. Truly, I am fortunate—for I am still alive, and ensconced in a home where I am safe from a world that hates me and my kind. Do you recall what else I said to you, the day we met? About Mytho being a wonderful person who treats all who work for him as equals, no matter what they are? He has done much to make this place safe for all, even half-fae like myself, it is somewhere where I need not live in fear of my life and can be in comfort. I am lucky to have all that I do, so many half-fae have it much worse than I."

“Oh... that's good...” Ahiru swallowed. She wasn't sure what else to say to that. She’d never really thought about the existence of half-fae before.

"Indeed.” Freya nodded. “In any case, I think we shall leave the discussion there, and continue on our way to the ruins. Shall we?"

"Okay, sounds good." Ahiru nodded. It would probably be best to focus on getting Freya’s mind back off the topic so this could be a happy outing for the two of them. She smiled in Freya’s direction, and after a moment, Freya smiled back, using the tissue to wipe the last of her tears from her face.

They walked on for about ten more minutes, on a path completely invisible to Ahiru but that Freya seemed to know by heart. Neither of them spoke much, but Freya seemed to get a little more life back in her step, reaching out a hand to brush against trees as she began to sing under her breath, probably unconsciously. Ahiru stuck her hands in her pockets and frowned a little at Freya’s back, and the wings that protruded from her clothing. With the way people acted back home, the possibility of a human and fae falling in love had never really crossed her mind, though logically she supposed it could—and obviously did—happen. But also given the way people acted back home, Freya’s story made a horrible sort of sense. Integration had only proven to Ahiru how cruel humans could be to fae, and it seemed that fae would reject those with human blood just as harshly. Half-fae, then, belonged to both worlds at once, but not fully to either, and with the history shared between humans and fae, neither side would really want them. Humans would be afraid of the fae blood, while fae would be afraid of the human side. And what about people like Freya's parents, who were responsible for bringing her into the world? There was enough of a stigma against being too friendly with the fae, some people didn't even like the limited interaction of dealing with them in a retail environment. To go way further than that and produce a _kid?_ That was the biggest of taboos. Hell, now that she thought back, she remembered some of her mother's comments back in high school, indicating that she didn't think much of their school letting fae teenagers go there, and fearing what sorts of 'things' that could lead to that she definitely didn't want her daughters getting mixed up in. Those few fae students had been bullied by practically everyone else, and anyone who was even remotely nice to them had gotten ostracized too, Ahiru herself included. Half the fae teenagers she’d known had dropped out by the time she graduated. Given all of that, it was no wonder Freya had been hesitant to be open about her heritage.

Despite her decision to stay cheery for Freya’s sake, Ahiru ended up brooding about the topic for the whole rest of their walk, until she was distracted from her unhappy thoughts by their coming to a wide clearing deep in the woods. There, just as Freya had told her, were the remains of a great stone structure, having crumbled to ruin long, long ago, well before either of them had been born. Ahiru gaped at them, until she heard Freya’s soft laughter from beside her. “See? Did I not tell you they were impressive?”

“Oh yeah, they totally are.” And a bit eerie, but she wasn’t sure she wanted to give voice to _that_ thought. After all, it might actually summon up spirits out of the ruins. Sure, some people would’ve said that just because fairies were real it didn’t mean ghosts were too, and that you had to draw the line somewhere. Well, _they_ could draw the line. Ahiru was going to keep a healthy fear of potential haunting sites, thank you very much.

“I’m glad you’re enjoying it as I do. Now then…” Freya set her basket down on the ground, beside a large rock. “Those who dwell in this glade will know better than to tamper with my belongings, so our meal is safe. Let us begin on the errand that brought us here.” She lifted a sack from over her other arm, revealing another one beneath it, and handed one to Ahiru. “We will split up, as that seems most efficient, and hunt for the mushrooms separately. I have no doubts as to your ability to locate them all, since I’ve told you what they look like, and they have such a distinctive appearance besides.”

“Yeah, I think I can handle this.” Ahiru grinned at her. “Okay! Meet you back here when we’re done!”

They hunted for the better part of an hour, and then when each felt they’d exhausted their respective searching areas, returned to where they’d arrived. Freya held up her sack first. It was clearly full nearly to bursting. “I have done well this day! Ahiru, what of your efforts?”

“Almost as good as you did!” Ahiru held hers up too. It wasn’t quite as full, but it still had an impressive amount. “Do you want me to take another look?”

“No, no, I think we’ve cleared them all away.” Freya smiled. “The help is most appreciated, Ahiru—I would’ve taken twice as long had I been alone.”

“I’m glad I could help!” Ahiru beamed. “It was a lot of fun!”

“I am glad.” Freya took the sack from Ahiru, and set them down beside the basket, which she then picked up. “Now, are you hungry? I’ve packed us a lunch, if you care for a picnic.”

“That’d be great!” Ahiru nodded. “I’ll help you set up, if you want!”

“That would be excellent.” Freya nodded back at her.

Ahiru helped Freya lay down a blanket on a free patch of ground, and then together they started unpacking the basket’s contents. There were watercress sandwiches, a jar of pickles, some of Ebine’s homemade potato chips, travel mugs filled with vanilla-scented tea, and for dessert a plate of chocolate chip cookies. “This all looks really good,” Ahiru commented as she served herself.

“Yes. As always, the kitchen staff fails to disappoint.” Freya paused, and her eyes twinkled. “Then again, I cannot help but feel I am due a bit of the credit too, seeing as they owe many of their excellent ingredients to my hard work.”

“Oh, totally!” Ahiru gulped down some tea. “I mean, you have to have the skills to be able to do anything with the ingredients, but you also need to have top-notch stuff to make great food, there’s only so much you can do if you have one but not the other, know what I mean?”

“Indeed I do.” Freya smiled and nodded. “It is something of a symbiotic relationship between myself and the kitchens… both our efforts are required for something truly great. It cannot be achieved alone.” She took another bite, and chewed it thoughtfully before swallowing it down and continuing. “Many things in life are this way, I think… the best results are gained by cooperation in a good team.”

“I agree.” Ahiru fell silent then, just eating her lunch and thinking about their conversation. Did their outing today count? Probably, but she didn’t want to mention it all the same. It’d been a long time since she really had a friend, and she’d only known Freya a couple weeks, so she didn’t want to come on too strong and weird her out. Who knew what the proper fairy etiquette was on that? Not her. “So, you really don't know anything about these ruins?”

“I didn't say that.” Freya shook her head. “I am only unaware of what this specific building was.”

“Oh, okay.” Ahiru nodded. “That makes sense. What _do_ you know, then?”

“I am told they are from a lost kingdom from ages past.” Freya cast a long glance around at them. “Apparently few who live know of its true location now, and it exists only in legend.”

“Ooh, cool!” Ahiru's eyes lit up. “I love stuff like that!”

So did Freya, it turned out, and she told her bits and pieces of what she remembered reading about and learning from others as they ate, with Ahiru mostly just listening, totally spellbound by the ancient tales. When they’d finished, they cleaned up from their picnic, left a plateful of what hadn’t been eaten as an offering for ‘those who dwelt in the wood’, and then retrieved their sacks of mushrooms before heading back. The forest path was no easier for Ahiru to pick out now than it had been on their way in, and she was deeply thankful that she had Freya with her. She’d have to remember on her solo wanderings to _not_ go in any of these glades alone. This enchanted forest was definitely more dangerous than the one behind her home that she’d explored as a kid.

“I had a truly enjoyable afternoon, Ahiru,” Freya said as they reached the front door of the greenhouse. The walk back from the ruins had felt longer than the walk there, maybe because she’d done so much exploring by now and was getting tired. At least the main palace wasn’t so far away now. “Your help was invaluable, and I am grateful to you for it.”

“Any time!” Ahiru smiled. “See you around, then, Freya! I had fun too!”

“Good to hear.” Freya waved, and Ahiru waved back, right before Freya closed the greenhouse door. She let her breath out—noting that she could see it now, for it’d gotten that cold as the afternoon wore on—and turned to head back to her room. A hot bath sounded really good right about now, and she should have plenty of time to really relax in the tub before dinner.

Dinner. Yes. Her spirits lifted by the thought of another wonderful dinner with Mytho, Ahiru quickened her pace and pushed through her growing exhaustion to get back to her room in record speed. It really was the highlight of her day, every day. He was so kind and warm and fun to talk to, and it was so relaxing to just unwind and tell him about everything. Seeing him grow happier and happier as she became more and more accustomed to palace life was a definite plus, too, that did her heart good.

Of course, she still hadn’t told him about the person in her bed every night. She hadn’t told _anyone_ about the person in her bed every night. She didn’t know if she ever would. But at least she was getting more used to it now. Or more resigned, anyway. Ahiru didn’t try sleeping anywhere else anymore, and she didn’t bother locking or blocking the door, but instead just accepted it and let it happen. Whoever it was didn’t have any interest in even talking to her, after all, and always fell asleep right after climbing under the covers. And they were always gone by the time she woke up. It was weird, but it didn’t seem to be dangerous, at least, so she was adjusting. She still sometimes tried to talk to them, but since that seemed so fruitless she was probably gonna stop soon. It’d be nice if that were the key, if the mysterious visitor stopped coming round once she started ignoring them, but she knew better than to hope for that.

Oh well. There were more than enough good things going on in her life right now, and it was important to put up with it for her family’s sake. So she’d continue to deal.

***

Over the next week, Ahiru stayed inside most of the time, as the weather continued to be bad. Raetsel seemed to think it was gonna snow soon, but so far it hadn’t. Back in Twin Pines it wouldn’t be snowing just yet, unless winter started really early; obviously things were different up here in the mountains. It wasn’t so bad, though. She hit the library a lot, watched TV in her room, and enjoyed a hot bath and a good book every night. Ebine and the kitchen staff seemed to be working overtime too, to provide her with the most warming, comforting meals they could whip up, as well as hot drinks every time she had Raetsel them to make some. Ahiru managed to make a few excursions to the greenhouse too, when it wasn’t storming, to bask in its warmth and beauty and hang out with Freya. She was finally starting to memorize the layout, which was nice.

Today, though, there was no chance of that. It was too cold outside, with the wind howling and the sky getting ominously dark, so Ahiru had opted to spend the day indoors. Right now she was on her way to the library to return all the books she’d finished, and maybe get some more.

She didn’t have to go far in the library before Fakir appeared, like magic. A curse, if you wanted to be specific about what kind of magic. He had a nearly empty cart of books in front of him, and was pushing it along at a leisurely pace. He stopped when he saw her, though, and scowled. And scowled deeper when his gaze fell on the stack of books she was carrying. “More to return? Like I don’t have enough to do.”

“Oh, shut it, there’s not that much in your cart.” Ahiru rolled her eyes.

“I have other things to do besides clean up after you, you know.” He rolled his eyes right back at her. “You don’t know anything about my job, do you?”

“No, and if you don’t care about the one I used to have, then I don’t care about yours.” Ahiru matched his scowl with one of her own. “I mean, I don’t want to be that person and make it harder because ‘it’s your job’ but come on—you’re just cranky cause it’s me returning stuff. I bet you don’t act like this when it’s another staff member.”

“Whatever.” Fakir sighed. “Just put them in the cart so I can return them and not have to deal with you anymore.”

“Ugh, fine.” Ahiru crossed the short distance between them and dumped the books into the cart. “Happy now?”

“I couldn’t be more delighted. In fact—” He stopped. Ahiru tilted her head, and realized that he was staring down at the book that had landed on top of the stack: _The Amber Spyglass_. “Huh. You were reading those?”

“His Dark Materials? Yeah, I loved it!” Ahiru nodded enthusiastically. “It was _so_ good! I cried so many times during all the books, but I really loved the characters and the world he created...”

“So did I.” Fakir’s eyes softened and lit up, his shoulders relaxing as he gave the cover a fond look. “Pullman did an amazing job creating all those worlds, they felt incredibly real. And I was moved by all the messages in them.Some people might find stuff a bit heavy-handed, but me, I found a lot of meaning in them.” Fakir picked the book up and softly stroked its spine, a gentle smile spreading over his face. Ahiru's eyes widened and she almost gasped at the sight of it. It was just... such a shock. A nice one, yeah, but he looked like an almost completely different person. “It really resonated with me.”

“Oh, me too!” Ahiru nodded as she recovered—mostly—from the surprise of seeing Fakir actually _smiling_. “I mean, I guess I could see why some stuff wouldn’t sit well with people, but I liked a lot of things. Like, one of the things I got from it was that you don’t have to believe in some higher power or whatever to see beauty and wonder in the world. That really impacted me.”

“Yes, exactly, me too.” Fakir nodded. He was leaning closer to her across the cart as they talked, and Ahiru unconsciously mimicked it. “That was what I was mainly referring to. I must have reread that part over and over just because it meant so much to me. And I've actually memorized some of the lines just from that.” A slight blush spread across his face. “They stayed with me that much.”

“Oh, I do that all the time with stuff I really like!” Ahiru clapped her hands together. “Some stuff really _does_ stay with you! I totally get where you're coming from!”

“Good to know.” His smile became a bit wry. “A lot of stuff from those books has really stayed with me, honestly. Like that ending…” He shook his head and sighed. “That stuck in a painful way. I didn’t even want to _look_ at benches for a while. Too sad.”

“Oh, same! Same!” Ahiru’s lower lip wobbled. “I don’t even… and Alamo Gulch, don’t even _talk_ to me about that chapter!”

“Yeah. That might’ve been the worst.” Fakir winced. “I don’t know. But it was bad.”

“Yeah… I was sobbing.” Ahiru wiped at her eyes. “I don’t think I could bear to reread _that_. Cause it's like... family's always been really important to me, and she had so little of that, so I felt really bad for Lyra, and to lose someone who'd become like family to her really hurt, and just... the way it was written was so painful too.” She sniffled. "Anyway, though, I was really surprised that this library has _any_ books written by human authors, nevermind recent ones. Did you buy them?"

“No, that was Mytho's idea, he wanted me to stay in touch with—" Fakir paused, their eyes meeting. Time seemed to stop too for a moment, and then—it was like a spell being broken. His face changed, from someone friendly and open, from someone actually capable of _smiling_ , back into the Fakir she knew and couldn’t stand, the transformation apparently triggered by the realization that he was making pleasant conversation with another person. No, not just another person, but _her_ , specifically. He drew back, as if he wanted to put even physical distance between them again. "In touch with the world I came from. Anyway, why do you care?"

"I was just—I was just curious." Ahiru's face fell. And here she’d gotten her hopes up. "Can't I take an interest in this stuff?"

“You can, yes. It's just better if you don't pester me with it." Fakir shrugged. "But whatever, I have to go reshelve these. Some of us do have jobs, you know, and can’t stand around yammering all day.”

“Yeah, _whatever_.” She stalked off in the opposite direction as he left, still pushing his cart along. Only when she was pretty sure he was out of earshot did she allow herself to let out a huge sigh of disappointment at having been pushed away yet again.

What the hell had _that_ been all about? For a few precious minutes, they’d been talking to each other like normal people, bonding over a series of books they’d both read and loved. He'd even smiled! And then the moment had just… been lost, like a soap bubble popping, and he’d gone back to being his usual unlikable self. What made it worse was, she’d actually been having _fun_ while it lasted. When he wasn’t too busy being a sarcastic asshole, Fakir could be an enjoyable person to talk to, with similar opinions to hers. Who’d have thought? But no, he _had_ to go and spoil it by refusing to let it last.

Ugh. Sometimes she didn’t know what was more annoying: the continued presence of someone in her bed every night, or interacting with Fakir.

… probably Fakir.

***

As it turned out, the storm that had been brewing the day she’d had her short-lived moment of fun with Fakir had been a snowstorm. It blanketed them in several inches of the stuff, luckily right after Raetsel got back from a shopping trip in Goldenkrone. Having had the foresight to do it before the blizzard hit, she’d stocked up on a surplus of the things they could only get in town, and so they were set for some time. It didn’t take that long to clear the road once the snow stopped, but Ahiru had fun nevertheless. Without having to worry about losing power or running out of food, there was something almost exciting about being stuck indoors while the snow piled up. There was plenty to do, after all, and she knew she was safe, so she took the chance to do yet more reading, TV watching, and bath-taking. Even the stranger in her bed couldn’t dampen her joy, not even when they found her asleep by the window, having drifted off while watching the snow falling, and picked her up and carried her to bed. She had dim memories of that, of being gently picked up and cradled against someone’s chest before being set down in bed and having the covers pulled over her, but they were fuzzy and indistinct at best. Somehow, though, it managed to be a comforting memory rather than a frightening one. Because even in her half-asleep haze, Ahiru had just known that this person, whoever they were, didn’t mean her any harm. And that went a long way towards setting her mind at ease about their presence in her room at night. Not all the way, but it definitely helped.

Mytho was a great source of joy to her too over that dark, snowy week. He continued to dine with her every night, asking questions about her day and seeming to draw hope and happiness from her enthusiastic answers. What he was hoping for in the end—because there had to be something more to it than just her loving the palace, she could _feel_ it—she wasn’t entirely clear on, and didn’t dare to ask, but it made her happy to see him happy. They were getting closer to him seeing a true smile on his face, to his lonely eyes looking less sad. Even when he gave her small smiles these days she could still see that weariness and sorrow behind his eyes, but it was slowly starting to melt away, and she wanted to hurry up and do whatever she could to banish it completely.

Maybe today would help a little more with that. She’d gotten curious about what he did with his days, and while he refused to answer that, he did agree to spend some time with her during daylight hours. Now that it was a fine, clear day, with the landscape blanketed in pristine white, it was time to hold him to that. What exactly they were going to do, though was a surprise. Mytho had simply told her to bundle up and meet him at the front entrance of the palace. Well, here she was, all bundled up, and heading towards that very spot.

Mytho was already there when she arrived, just as she'd expected he would be. She saw him from a distance as she descended the stairs, and waved to him, but he didn't see. Ahiru quickened her pace a little while still being careful not to slip and fall, and within a couple minutes was running across the floor to him. "Morning, Mytho!"

"Good morning, Ahiru." He lowered his head, allowing Ahiru to fling her arms around his neck in a hug. "Ah... I trust this morning finds you well?"

"Yup!" Ahiru pulled back, blushing a little. "I'm so excited for whatever we're going to do today!" Taking a step backwards, she only now noticed that he had some kind of bag slung around his neck. It would be normal-sized for her, but looked tiny compared to him. "Wait, what's that?" she asked, pointing to the bag.

"That is part of the surprise." Mytho laughed. "Now then, I will open the doors for us, and we shall be off."

"Oh yeah, I tried to open them myself recently, and I couldn't." Ahiru tilted her head as she looked up at the doors. "Is there some other way to the front of the palace? I mean, besides the garage."

"No. For now, this is the only way." He shook his head. "Perhaps someday I will change them, but for now this arrangement works best."

“Works best for who?” Ahiru bit her lip. “Look, um, I don't wanna be rude or anything, it's just... you're always making cryptic comments and you never explain anything to me, even the basics like with the bell, and it's kinda... well, I'm not _mad_ , just...” She moved her hands up and down in a nervous motion. “I don't know, I just wish you'd be more open about stuff.”

“I am sorry, Ahiru.” Mytho's voice dropped, becoming so quiet that she could barely hear him. “I truly am. Particularly because I have no explanation to offer you—save that sometimes things slip my mind when I am weary, such as in the case with the bell—and can only repeat again that there are things I simply _cannot_ say. I must beg for both your forgiveness and your patience.”

“Okay, but _why_ can't you say some stuff?” Ahiru frowned. “Is there, like... a spell on you or something?”

“I am...” Mytho stopped, and a look of mingled fear and pain flitted across his face for a moment. He swallowed. “I am sorry. Please, ask me no more, for I cannot answer.”

“Uh... okay.” Taken aback, Ahiru nodded. “Sorry to bug you...” Something about the expression on his face just now seriously worried her, and she wasn't sure what else to say. He obviously didn't want to talk about it anymore, so she'd respect him and leave it at that.

“It is fine.” Mytho shook his head again. “You did not 'bug' me, as you put it—you are merely curious, as anyone would be, and I cannot fault you for it. And I appreciate your understanding on this matter.”

“Of course.” Ahiru watched him walk over and stand on his hind legs to open the doors, before going to join him as the massive doors swung open. Mytho then dropped down onto all four legs before lowering himself completely to the floor. Ahiru stopped. "Oh... you want me to ride on your back again?"

"Yes." He turned his head to look at her. "It is not far of a walk, to reach our destination, but if I can act as your chariot, I am more than willing."

Ahiru giggled. "Okay!" She set about climbing atop him. It didn't take quite as many tries as it had when she'd left her family to come here—and it helped her nerves to not have an audience this time—but it still required a bit of effort, and involved a couple spills onto her butt before she managed it. At last, though, Mytho stood and ambled out through the open doors. They closed behind them, and Ahiru turned her head so that she could look at the beautiful swan designs on the front.

As Mytho had said, they didn't have far to go at all. When he'd taken her out of the palace he turned, and walked around it, and bore her to the lake. It was a short trip, but no less magical—it had snowed again in the middle of the night, just a little, so the landscape was completely covered in white, and sparkling in the sun. Nearly all the clouds had cleared away after the brief snowfall, so it was a bright, cold day under a flawless blue sky. The mountains in the distance looked like peaks of unbaked meringue, and snow that resembled icing on a donut was sprinkled all over the pines. And the lake—the lake looked like a sheet of glass shining in the morning light. Glass, or crystal, smoothly polished and almost shimmering. As much as Ahiru yearned to see it covered with swimming ducks, she couldn't deny that it was beautiful like this, too.

"And here is where you dismount." Mytho lowered himself to the ground again at the lake's edge. "When your feet are safely on solid earth, take the bag from around my neck and see what you discover inside."

"Alright." Ahiru slid carefully down off his back, and then moved around in front of him. Mytho's head dipped low, and she eased the bag from around his neck. It felt kinda heavy, and when she pulled it open, her eyes flew wide in astonished delight. "Oh!" She reached into the bag and pulled out one of the two items in there, careful not to cut herself on them. "Ice skates?"

"Indeed." Mytho peered at her. "Have you ever skated before, Ahiru?"

"Just once, a long time ago." Ahiru set the one skate down on the ground and then pulled out the other. "When I was in first grade, I got invited to this girl's birthday party at an ice rink, and since her parents were footing the bill for everyone's rental skates, I got to go." She sighed. "I wasn't any good at it, though, and got laughed at... so even if we could've afforded to keep going, I was discouraged from trying cause I didn't wanna be made fun of anymore."

"Well, you need not fear that here." Mytho rubbed his nose against her cheek, and for some reason that made Ahiru blush. "The only one here to see you is myself, and I promise on my life that I shall never ever laugh at you. I will help you if you wish it, and encourage you, but no laughter at your expense will ever be had."

"Ah...th–that's...very kind of you." Ahiru swallowed past a sudden lump in her throat. She'd gotten a lot better at suppressing the reflex to say ‘thank you’ for every little thing, but things like this really tested her still. Mytho was just so... well, stuff like this was exactly why she wanted to make him truly smile.

"It is what you deserve." He gave her one of those small smiles she knew well. "Now then, put on the skates, and we shall see how you do. Fear not, the lake is more than solid enough now to hold our weight."

"Don't you mean that it can..." Ahiru paused for dramatic effect. " _Bear_ our weight?"

"Oh, Ahiru." Mytho groaned, and covered his eyes with one paw, even as he laughed. "That was truly terrible!"

"It was supposed to be!" Ahiru giggled. Mytho had reacted just like Malen would have. But instead of making her homesick, his laughter was just making her feel all warm inside. She sat down and began to put on the skates. She barely remembered having done this as a little kid, but it wasn't too hard, and soon enough she was struggling to stand at the edge of the iced-over lake. Mytho was there to grab onto, though, and with his support she moved further in across the frozen surface.

"Do you feel steady enough to stand on your own?"

"I don't know," Ahiru admitted. "I'll give it a try, though..." Releasing her hold on his fur, she slowly let go of him. And for a minute, she stood upright. Almost a minute, anyway. Then she began flailing her arms in an attempt to stay standing, an attempt that ultimately failed and ended with her on her rear end smacking the ice. "Owwww..."

"Are you hurt, Ahiru?" Mytho bent his massive head over her, and she could see the concern in his amber eyes.

"Yeah, I'm fine, don't worry about me, my butt's just gonna be a little sore for a couple days." Grimacing slightly, Ahiru pulled herself back up, using Mytho for support once again. "I don't think I'm ready to be on my own just yet, so... maybe we could just go around together for now? Unless it hurts you when I hold on?"

"Not at all." Mytho shook his head. "I want you to be safe and unhurt, Ahiru, to do only what you're comfortable doing. If that means supporting you as you skate around the lake, then so be it. And you needn't worry about hurting me. I am more resilient than I seem."

“Okay." Ahiru nodded at him. "That'll really help."

And so they set off, slowly at first, but picking up a little more speed as Ahiru gained confidence. She let go of him once or twice, but never strayed far, and at the first sign of a major wobble got a firm grip on his fur again. Eventually it began to feel less like a struggle and more like a dance, albeit an awkward one, and Ahiru soon found herself laughing and making sounds of joy as they skated around the entirety of the lake once, twice, three times. By the third trip round they were both starting to get winded, though, so Mytho guided her back over to the shore, where they collapsed onto the snow. Ahiru was still giggling, tired though she was, and a quieter, deeper laugh came from Mytho as he sat beside her.

“That was so fun!” Ahiru grinned at him. Her face was flushed from exertion and her limbs were starting to ache, but she felt so happy that she didn’t care. “I’m glad you thought of doing this!”

“And I am glad you enjoyed it.” Mytho smiled. “Your idea of spending time together during daylight hours was an excellent one, and I am pleased you took so well to my thought of how to spend that time. Today is a fine day indeed.”

“Totally!” Ahiru flopped back onto the snow. Up in the sky, a few thin, wispy clouds, remnants of last night’s snowfall, were moving lazily across the bright blue sky. “We could… maybe… do this again sometime? If you want…”

“Perhaps we could, yes.” Mytho rested his head on his front paws and regarded her. “It heartens me that you enjoyed this excursion more than your childhood experience with skating.”

“ _Way_ more!” Ahiru sighed happily. “It was so much fun, and so different from that time. Not just cause it was just us and you’re much nicer than all those kids, but… I think I did better this time. Maybe cause I knew I wouldn’t get laughed at. I dunno. But it almost felt like dancing, kinda. Or maybe that’s just me,” she added, feeling a new blush coming on.

“Dancing… yes.” Mytho seemed to sigh too. “A pleasurable art reserved for those who are—more nimble than I.” Another sigh.

“Yeah.” Ahiru echoed his sighs. “I always wanted to learn ballet, cause it looked so pretty and cool, but… well, I’m sure you won’t be surprised that my parents couldn’t afford to pay for lessons.” She frowned. “And now it’s too late.”

“Ah, now there you are wrong.” Mytho lifted his head off his paws. “It is never too late to learn, especially not at your age, Ahiru. You are still capable of learning ballet.”

“Well, yeah, I guess I could learn if I took classes, but how’m I gonna do that here?” Ahiru pouted. “Like, I really doubt you have dance instructors on your staff.”

“You might be surprised.” Mytho smiled at her. “In fact, I do know someone who would be willing to teach you, if you wished to learn.”

“What? Really?” Ahiru turned to face him, her eyes wide. “Are you serious? I—I could… I could really learn ballet?”

“If that is your desire, then… yes.” Mytho nodded. “Shall I have her begin instructing you in a few days?”

“Of course! Of course! Oh, Mytho, I…” Ahiru crawled over and threw her arms around his neck in another hug. “I can’t… I mean, there’s something I wanna say, but I can’t, but I wouldn’t mean it as an insult, cause this just means so much to me, but I’m a stupid human, I don’t know what else I _can_ say that’d get it across…”

“It’s all right. I think that I understand what you are trying to express.”

“You do?” Ahiru pulled back to look him in the eye.

“I do.” Mytho nodded.

“Oh, that’s good, then!” Ahiru smiled wide, happy tears filling her eyes. “I–I’m so… I’m so glad!”

“As am I.” Mytho shook some snow off his fur as Ahiru pulled away completely, sitting back down on the ground. “Now then, do you wish to do some more skating, or to retreat inside and warm ourselves before a fire?”

“Hmmm…” Ahiru considered it. “Maybe a little more? Then we can go inside and get warmed up, and have something hot to drink too. Is that okay with you?”

“Whatever you wish, I shall do.”

They skated around the lake a little bit more, and when at last Ahiru was too tired and hungry and thirsty to keep going, she took off her skates and let Mytho carry her back inside the palace. He showed her to a room she’d never really spent time in before, a vast parlor located on the second floor. They sprawled in front of the biggest fireplace Ahiru had ever seen, and drank the hot cocoa that Raetsel brought them from the kitchens. Mytho left her on her own before it was time for lunch, but it was okay. The fun they’d had in the morning was enough to carry her through the rest of the day, like floating on one of those little clouds in the perfect, beautiful blue sky outside.

***

Ahiru could hardly believe it when she looked at the date on her phone. A month? Had she really been here a month already? It barely felt real. A month sounded like such a long time, and yet it'd raced by already. Back in Twin Pines, her family was getting ready to move into their new house, and Malen was doing better thanks to the treatment she was getting from her new doctors at the fae clinic. As expected, that hadn't gone over well with Paulamoni, but the tension was slowly easing as Malen's health improved and she became more independent and less sickly. To say that Ahiru was beyond happy for her was a gross understatement. Just seeing her looking so much better when they attempted Skype every week was enough to make everything worth it.

Including, yes, the stranger in her bed every night. Ahiru had given up on trying to talk to them, but instead merely rolled over and went back to sleep if she was awake when they joined her. More often than not these days, though, she just slept right through their arrival. She wasn't sure when they left, but it was always before she could wake up and see them in the morning light. It was still the weirdest damn thing about this place, and part of her still didn't like it, but she'd long since become resigned to it, and if that's what it took to ensure that Malen kept thriving, then she could suck it up and deal.

And anyway, her days were so good that it more than made up for the nights. There were still dinners with Mytho to look forward to at the end of each one, but they'd also gone ice-skating a second time since their first wonderful outing, and Ahiru eagerly anticipated more to come. Not only that, but he'd been true to his word about getting her a ballet instructor, and she took lessons early every morning after breakfast. Her teacher was a Fire-Maid (a sort of fire elemental spirit) named Lumina, who had attached herself to a lamp Mytho owned, but was more than willing to teach Ahiru the art of dance, taking the form of a beautiful woman made of ghostly red-gold flames that luckily didn't burn anything, least of all Ahiru herself. She was warm and kind and patient, which was exactly what a beginner like her needed, and Ahiru loved every minute of her lessons, even the hard parts. Maybe this was even better for her than group classes would’ve been, since she could concentrate on what Lumina was telling her to do, instead of worrying about other people making fun of her mistakes, like in P.E. at school. Either way, though, she was having a lot of fun.

Plus, now that there was snow on the ground, she could go outside and enjoy it. She'd fallen into a routine of having her ballet lessons post-breakfast, showering and changing, and then running outside to go have fun making snow people and exploring the wintry landscape. Then it would be back inside for a hot lunch and an afternoon spent cozily ensconced in either her room or the library, unwinding and relaxing before another lovely dinner.

Today was no different. She'd just spent yet another lovely morning performing basic exercises and then running around outside for a while, and then devoured a comforting lunch of hot, thick soup served in a freshly baked bread bowl. Oh, Ebine and her staff were just the _best!_ Ahiru floated dreamily along the hall towards the library after she was finished eating, her stomach pleasantly full of soup and bread and tea, and her mood lighter than air. Getting a new book and reading it by the library fireplace sounded like a great way to spend the afternoon.

Maybe her almost euphoric contentment in the wake of her excellent morning and thoroughly satisfying lunch was the catalyst for what happened next; maybe not. But it was a fact that Ahiru was feeling so good that when she spotted Fakir, reshelving books in a section near the sitting area where she always hung out, that she impulsively decided to throw caution and previous experience to the wind and approach him. "Hey, Fakir!"

"Wh–oh, it's _you_." He said the last word as if he'd just found a slug crawling on one of the bookshelves. "What do you want?"

"I–" Ahiru faltered slightly, but within seconds picked herself back up again. He was _not_ going to ruin her day. "I just wanted to say hi, see how you're doing... is that wrong?"

"Wrong?" Fakir tilted his head, looking as though he was seriously considering the question. "From a moral standpoint, I guess not. But it _is_ extremely unwelcome."

" _Unwelcome?_ " Ahiru's hands clenched into fists, her fingernails biting painfully into her palms. Goddammit, what was his _problem?_ Was he really incapable of not going from zero to asshole the minute she walked in? And why? What'd she ever done to him? All she'd ever done was try to be nice, over and over, and she kept getting slapped in the face with this kind of shit. “ _Why_ is it unwelcome? Can't you ever be _nice_ instead of just going straight to being a jerk like this?"

"And I should waste my time like that why?" He rolled his eyes. "Really now. Haven't I made it obvious yet that I have no desire to talk to you? Even someone as thick-headed as you must've noticed that by now."

"You did that one time, though!" Ahiru protested. "When we talked about the books! Remember?" He'd been so _nice_ that time, even _smiling_ at her, but then had gone right back to being just as nasty as ever. She didn't get it, and it made her all the angrier at him now for having gotten that brief glimpse of what he could be like when he didn't feel like being so horrible.

"Yeah, well, a one-time freak occurrence is exactly what it says on the label." Fakir rolled his eyes again. "It'd be a mistake to expect it to keep happening. Kinda goes against the definition of one-time."

"You—" Somehow, the fact that Ahiru's mood had been so good before she came in here and tried talking to Fakir made this sudden, steep descent all the more infuriating. Why did he always have to ruin her day like this? She was _beyond_ sick of this shit happening, to the point where she was dangerously close to crying out of sheer frustration and rage, just like the first time they met. "Why are you like this? I don't get it! I've tried and I've tried to be nice to you, given you a million chances, only to get—"

"Maybe I don't want your chances," Fakir interrupted, his tone cold. "Maybe I don't want to be friendly with you. Did you ever think of that? Or are you so wrapped up in what _you_ want that you can't spare any thoughts for what anyone else wants?"

"But _why?_ " She stomped her foot on the floor hard enough to make a book on one of the lower shelves fall over onto the book next to it. "Why wouldn't you want to? I mean, I'm not saying I'm the greatest person ever or anything, I haven't got that much of an ego, just... we're the only two humans in the palace, you know? I thought it would be cool for both of us to have someone in the same boat to talk to, to relate to."

"So you can only really relate to humans." Fakir's eyes darkened and narrowed. "Is that what you're saying?"

"No way! Not at all! Ugh!” Ahiru clenched her shaking hands and made a noise of disgust. "Don't put words in my mouth! I just meant that we'd each have similar experiences that the others living here don't, you know? I thought it'd be common ground and we could have fun talking to each other. And it _was_ fun when we talked about books that one time. What's so bad about doing more of that?"

"A better question would be 'why should I even bother?' Because I don't see any reason to." Fakir shrugged. "If you can come up with a plausible answer, I'll consider hearing you out, but I really doubt you can. Because there's no point to me wasting my time getting to know you."

"That... that doesn't make any sense." Ahiru frowned. "Why wouldn't there be any point to being friendly with someone who's here to live from now on? I don't get it."

"Well, _that_ couldn't be more obvious." Fakir rolled his eyes again. "Of course you don't get it. So I'll do you a favor and spell it out.” He paused and straightened up to view her from his full height, raising his eyebrows at her as he spoke, calm and completely patronizing. “Do you really think you're the first girl Mytho's brought here?”

That stopped Ahiru cold. In fact, the whole world seemed to stop for a moment. Ahiru stared, stunned, up at Fakir's impassive face. Her mouth opened and closed a few times, but no sound came out. When she finally spoke after about a minute or so, it was in a voice that squeaked a little in her shock. “I... I'm... he's... he's brought other girls here? B-before me?”

“Yes. And because I'm feeling generous, I'll tell you something else, too.” Fakir braced his elbow on the shelf and leaned forward, making Ahiru shrink back a little. “Not only are you not the first girl he's brought here, but you definitely won't be the last.”

"Wh... what?" Ahiru's jaw dropped, and a cold chill went down her spine. "I... what do you mean? Is he... he's not going to kick me out, is he?" Suddenly, her stomach didn't feel so good.

"He won't have to. You'll turn tail and run, just like all the others did." His eyes and the tone of his voice turned icy with barely-restrained hatred and, curiously, resentment. "They came here, sucked up all of Mytho's time and gave him false hope, and then turned around and discarded him like trash. Just like you're going to."

"No, I won't!" Ahiru shook her head. "I'm here to stay! I'm not like the others!"

"You're _exactly_ like the others." He straightened slightly, but kept his arm on the shelf. "Although maybe you're even more stupid than they were. Do you really think everyone here is being nice to you because they actually like and trust you? No. They're just being polite, and you've fallen for it."

"No..." Ahiru whispered, the friendly faces of Freya and Raetsel flashing in her mind. "No, they... they're being genuine, I can tell..."

"Well...maybe they are." Fakir shrugged. "It's true, it's certainly possible. But then, that would make them the real fools here. Still willing to risk getting attached to someone who's only going to cut and run, to get disappointed yet again... but I'm not like them. I'm smarter than that by now. I don't care to waste my time anymore trying to be friendly."

"Yeah, well, it wouldn't be a waste of time, because I'm staying!" Ahiru's voice rose, though it shook a little. "I'm definitely staying! I don't know why you think—" She paused. "Wait a minute. What made them leave, anyway? I'm not gonna defend them or anything, but I feel like there was probably a reason. Could you at least tell me what it was before you go getting all judgey on me?"

"Tch. Fine." He let out an exasperated sigh. "I'll tell you everything about them. Well, the stuff you need to know, which isn't much because they were all alike in the end, at least in the ways that mattered. Each and every one of them treated the fae members of the staff like shit, either at first, or later on, when they couldn't conceal their dislike anymore and showed it openly. We're all just waiting for you to go the same way."

"I'm not going to!" Ahiru shook her head again. "I swear, I'm not!"

"You can swear all you like. It won't stop the same story from playing out here once again, and over and over after you're gone. It's always the same." Fakir's eyes narrowed. "It starts off like any fairy tale: the beautiful maiden brought to the palace, dreaming of marrying the prince and living out a Disney movie fantasy. But that's where the similarities end, because this is reality, and in reality not a single one of you is really prepared to accept the world you signed up to be a part of."

"That's not—I'm not—Mytho didn't—wait. What?" Ahiru's mouth fell open again as all of Fakir's words finally, fully, registered. "He's... Mytho's a _prince?_ "

Fakir's expression switched to one of slowly growing horror in a heartbeat as he also realized what he’d said, but Ahiru barely noticed. She unclenched her fists and stared up at Fakir, waiting for some sort of explanation, but clearly none was coming. Finally, she swallowed hard so she could work words up past her suddenly parched mouth.

"And what do you mean by _marry?_ "


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Beta-read by [letters_of_stars](http://archiveofourown.org/users/letters_of_stars/pseuds/letters_of_stars).

Ahiru's head spun, and she suddenly felt so dizzy that she almost needed to sit down. This was a joke, right? Her, marry a prince? “M-marriage? Wha—you can't—I mean—how—b-but, but, why would I—why would I... marry the prince?” Mytho, a prince! A _bear_ prince, no less! “You... you can't be serious... we-we're not really going to...?”

“I... I didn't say that.” Fakir took a step backwards, his eyes wider and his face losing some color. “You're pulling things out of your ass.”

“No, I'm not!” Ahiru shook her head. “You said—”

“What the—no, no I said—I said that you were _dreaming_ of marrying the prince, not that you actually could. And it'd be—it'd be a...a hypothetical prince,” he amended, his eyes darting around, a hunted expression on his face. “Like—like in all the fairy tales that people have been telling for centuries. I didn't say that _Mytho_ was a prince, or that you even _could_ marry him. I-I don't know where you're coming up with that, it's—it's not what I said at all.”

“Why'd you mention marriage at all, then?” Ahiru tilted her head. “Seems kinda random to throw in for no reason.”

“I don't think so. Not really.” Anyone watching from a distance would've thought he was looking right at her, but he wasn't—his gaze was fixed just to the left of her face. “It's—don't you ever _read?_ Or absorb anything you read? There's tons of stories about youngest daughters being taken from their homes to go marry an animal bridegroom, it's a very common trope I was simply referencing and—”

“Whoa, wait a minute! Back that up!” Ahiru interrupted, shaking her head as her eyes went wide. “Yeah, I know that shit, of course I do, it's the whole premise of Beauty and the Beast, but like—those all start with the animal dude being the one wanting marriage, not the girls dreaming of it themselves. Is... is _that_ what's really going on here?”

“What? No!” Fakir shook his head frantically even as he backed up again, nearly tripping over a book left sitting on the floor. “I-I didn't say that at all! Why would _Mytho_ want to marry _you?_ ”

“You tell me!” Ahiru took a step forward, and Fakir stepped away yet again, looking more and more panicked. If he did it one more time he'd collide with the couch. “ _You're_ the one that brought up those kinds of stories!”

“Just—just as an example, are you stupid?” He made a move as if to lean his arm on a bookshelf, but he'd backed away too far and there wasn't anything close enough to do that with; his arm flailed uselessly in the air for a moment before he dropped it back down, hands fidgeting. “It wasn't a perfect example, but it works, so back off, alright?”

“Uh-uh, no way!” She shook her head again. “The only way it 'works' is if Mytho is the one wanting to marry _me_ , not the other way around! _You're_ the one trying to pull things out of your ass! You told me something you didn’t want me to know. Just admit it!”

“You're twisting my words.” Fakir waved his hands around in an irritated motion, looking like he kinda didn't know what to do with them without a handy bookshelf to loom with. “Didn't you ever read stories like—”

“Yes! But that's not the point!” Ahiru tried not to lose her temper. He always had to be so difficult about _everything!_ Ooh, it made her so _mad!_ “I'm not twisting anything, _you_ said that I was 'brought here dreaming of marrying the prince and living out a Disney movie', and then you brought up all those stories where it's the animal guy wanting to marry the girl! You can't pass that off as hypothetical or whatever, you're obviously hiding something! It doesn't make sense for me to 'dream of marrying a prince' if Mytho's not one!”

“Well, what do I know about your dumbass thought processes?” He rolled his eyes, even as he folded his arms across his chest. “You were brought here to live in a palace, you might've just gotten it in your head that such living quarters only belong to royalty, and since this is like something out of a fairy tale, naturally that means Mytho's a prince, and since he brought you here that _naturally_ means he wants to marry you. Just because _I_ have no idea why the hell _anyone_ would want to do that doesn't mean that _you_ don't have an ego big enough to seriously entertain a ridiculous thought like that.”

Now he walked forward, deliberately brushing past her and almost knocking her down as he strode away. Ahiru somehow managed to stay upright, and whirled around to take off after him. “I _don't_ , though! I never _once_ thought about marrying him until you said so just now! I mean, come on, he's a bear! And I certainly didn't think he was a _prince!_ ” Ahiru had to try not to grit her teeth in frustration. “You're the first one to even _suggest_ something like that! I told you when I first met you that Mytho had said this was my home now, that's—”

“That could easily be interpreted as you being a potential bride,” he interrupted her, so dismissively that it made her want to grab a book from the shelves and throw it at the back of his head. Especially since she could just _see_ the judgmental eyebrow he was probably raising, and hear it in his condescending tone. “Since wives do share their husband's homes and all. Or to be more precise, the home then becomes _their_ home, not just his.”

“I know _that!_ ” She took a turn around a bookshelf too narrowly, and her elbow banged against the wood, sending pain shooting up her arm, but she ignored it, her attention fixed on not losing track of Fakir among the rows of books. “But that's not what I meant, if I had I would've said so. You've really got a knack for this crap, you know that? The attempting to slither out of stuff thing, that is.”

“Why, thank you.” Fakir stopped walking for a moment, just long enough to turn and give her a sarcastic bow before continuing on his way. “I'm flattered beyond the telling of it.”

“Oh please! You're so full of it!” Ahiru's hands clenched into small, shaking fists at her sides, and she had to resist the urge not to kick something. That whole “beyond the telling of it” thing sounded formal enough to be something Mytho might say, but Mytho would _never_ say it in such a mocking tone.Ugh, Fakir was the _worst!_ “You messed up, okay? You pretty much said that Mytho's a prince and then you made it sound like he wants to marry me, and why would you do that if he didn't? If he wasn't? I mean, come on, that's just... I'm not _stupid_ , okay? I know you're hiding something, I just dunno what.”

“How do you know that's what I'm doing? Are you really so sure?” He stopped again, turning to look at her with one thick brow raised and a challenging light in his eyes. “Maybe I'm just messing with you, to fuck with your head. And you've fallen for it.”

Oh, so he was gonna shift gears to _this_ kind of crap now? Nice try, but that just wasn't gonna fly. Not with her. Not after everything that'd happened between them over the past month. “Oh, gimme a break! I mean, okay, you're enough of a dick to make it sorta believable, but it'd also mean having to actually talk to me, and we both know you hate that, so don't even bother! You're just trying to cover your ass!”

“... Fine.” His eyes narrowed. “You got me. Mytho's a prince, who may or may not want to marry you. Why does it matter?”

“Why does it—of course it matters!” Ahiru stomped her foot. “It matters cause it's _huge!_ Marriage... marriage is a _big deal_ , no matter who you are! Especially if you're being asked to marry a freaking _bear!_ And it matters even more because nobody told me until now! Mytho didn't even tell me... he didn't say anything about this, and I don't get why!”

“Really? Cause it's obvious to me.” He rubbed the back of his neck, and she felt her jaw clench in anger at the motion. If anyone was a pain in the neck, it was him! It was _always_ him. “He's getting cold feet, and doesn't have much hope of this actually working out. I mean, can you blame him? None of the others stuck around.”

The floor dropped out from under Ahiru. “O-others? Th-they... they were also supposed to be...?”

“Oh, please.” Fakir rolled his eyes. “Are you really that dense? I just told you that he's brought other girls here besides you, other girls that didn't last. What did you think they were brought here _for?_ Did you think you were the latest in a line of girls he was auditioning for a figure skating competition or some shit?”

“No... I didn't... I'm not... I... I... I just... you distracted me by trying to pretend you hadn't said...” Ahiru's stomach churned again.

“Sure. Whatever.” Fakir let out a harsh, humorless laugh. “Just try and pretend you're not that stupid. Go on. And while you're at it, keep on pretending that you didn't suspect his royal status from the start or make assumptions about his intentions, that that didn't lure you here the way it lured all the others.”

“It-it didn't!” Ahiru shook her head. “I never thought he could be a prince or that he'd want to marry me until you said it! I swear! I wouldn't have made a big deal about it otherwise, c'mon! So it sure as hell didn't 'lure' me here or whatever!”

“You honestly expect me to believe that?” He rubbed his forehead now, as if he was getting a headache. “You really think I'm gonna fall for that?”

“There's nothing to fall for!” She stomped her foot again. “It's _true!_ ”

“Really? It's true?” Fakir raised both eyebrows now. “You're gonna stand there and tell me that you did this out of the goodness of your heart? That you weren't lured into this deal with him by his vast wealth and your desire for it? That money had _nothing_ to do with your choice? You told me the day we met that you got fired from your job, a customer service one no less... can you really say that you never dreamed of winning the lottery or some shit so you wouldn't have to do that anymore? That when Mytho came to you offering untold wealth or whatever that you didn't see it as the free ride you'd been fantasizing about? I find it really hard to believe that you wouldn't.”

“I...” Ahiru paused for several seconds, trying to quickly gather up the right words. “That's—I mean—okay, okay, fine, money had a lot to do with my choice, but not in the way you think.” She wrung her hands. “It's for my _family,_ okay? We've always been really poor, and had to do without so much, and my sister, she's sick, she's got these chronic illnesses and needs help with them that we've never been able to afford, I did it for _her_ , not me...”

“Wow, what a little saint you are, then.” Now that he was in within reach of a bookshelf again, Fakir tapped his fingers against the wood while rolling his eyes. “I'm so moved by your selflessness. I _totally_ don't think it's some kind of made-up or exaggerated story to win me over and make me think you're any different than those other girls. Because they didn't also claim that they wanted to do good things with their money, to hide their true internal ugliness and greed.”

Ahiru's mouth fell open, and for a second she just stared at him, feeling like she'd been slapped across the face. “But-but I'm not making it up! I wouldn't, I would never—why are you so convinced that I'm just like them?”

“Why shouldn't I be?” He shrugged. “If Mytho can't learn to stop picking girls who are pretty on the outside and shitty on the inside, then why should I give any of you the benefit of the doubt?”

“But-but he did! He—he said—he said, when he came to me he said.... he-he said it was b-because of my pure heart, not because I'm-I'm... a-anyway...” Did Fakir actually call her pretty right now? No, no, he’d just immediately followed it up with an insult. Typical. “He just... he... he just wants me here cause of _who_ I am, not what I look like or anything! I really am different!”

“Yes, and I'm sure the girl who comes next after you leave will be different too.” Yet another eyeroll. It made her jaw clench with aggravation again. “You can be as 'different' as you like. I don't care. It doesn't change how this story will end. And believe me, when you've seen the same ending over and over, you get to a point where you don't need to see it finish to know what's gonna happen. This? This is gonna be more of the same. Always the same boring, awful story where the girl isn’t as special as she thought she was, the prince suffers for it, and everyone has an unhappy ending.” He turned and started walking away again.

“No! No, it won't be!” Ahiru shouted at his back. “I'll write a different story! You'll see! This story will have a happy ending!”

Fakir didn't turn around or stop walking, but he snorted. “Really, now? Well, good luck with that then. You'll need it.”

“I will! I'll do it!” Ahiru stomped after him, unwilling to let him have the last word. “If you just give me a _chance_ —”

“Give you a chance?” Now Fakir did turn, and the look on his face made her falter, halting so abruptly that she almost lost her balance and fell. It was one of raw, blazing fury the likes of which she'd never seen before, even on him, his eyes flashing with hatred. “Give you a chance to do _what?_ To break Mytho's heart again? To shatter his hopes and dreams again and again and again?” He took a step towards her, the rage practically coming off him in tangible waves, and Ahiru stumbled back. “He gave _all_ those girls chances, and that's exactly what they did. Over and over they hurt him, and ran off without a care, leaving the rest of us to pick up the pieces. Over and over they've treated us _all_ like shit. We've all been hurt and disappointed over and over, but no one more than Mytho, and you're dead fucking wrong if you think I'm going to 'give you a chance' to do it too. Who the fuck do you think you are, that you think you have any right to ask that of me? I am _done_ giving people chances. Especially arrogant brats like you.”

“But I'm not—I don't—you don't _know_ that I'm gonna do that!” Ahiru shook her head. “How can you say I'm arrogant or that I'm gonna hurt him, how can you be so sure? You don't _know_ me!”

“Exactly.” He leaned in over her, and flexed his fingers, making Ahiru stumble back again. “And I'm going to keep it that way. I told you already, I'm not like the others around here. Maybe because I know human nature better than the fae. I'm _sick_ of watching them set themselves up for continual disappointment. But, you know, it's their choice and their problem if they want to keep being gullible idiots. Doesn't mean I have to follow their example and do the same. Which I definitely won't. So, no, I don't know you, and I have no desire to. Why would I?”

“Okay, _fine_.” Ahiru forced herself to control her voice, so he wouldn't hear any of the sick, terrible hurt swooping through her at his words. It'd been a while since she felt like this, this churning in her stomach, her heart racing, the urge to cry, feeling so small and rejected. It was high school all over again. “Whatever. You don't want to be friends with me, I get it. I'll back off and stop trying. But why couldn't you have just told me that without being such an asshole about it? Like, I totally get your reasons, and it wouldn't have bothered me you'd just explained it calmly, but this... are you _trying_ to make me leave or something? Cause that's a self-fulfilling prophecy if I ever heard one.”

“No, but even if I were, I doubt you'd need any help from me on that.” Fakir let out another sharp, harsh laugh that echoed off the bookshelves. “You're probably halfway out the door already without me needing to do anything.”

“No, I'm not!” Ahiru scowled up at him. He was still radiating that anger that had so frightened her, but she felt a little braver now. Or, at least, she _wanted_ to be brave, and show him that he couldn't scare her off so easily. “I'm not gonna leave! I'm staying! In fact, I want to stay even _more_ after hearing all this, just to prove you wrong!”

“Hmph. Do what you want.” He turned his back on her again, as if to signal that the conversation was really over now. “I don't give a shit.”

“Oh, so you don't give a shit if I break Mytho's heart too? After all that ranting about how those girls treated him you 'don't give a shit' if I do the same thing? Yeah, _right!_ ” Maybe it wasn't the smartest thing to do, and she was tired of arguing with him, but at the same time she kind of didn't care. He was just so full of shit and she was beyond done with it. “Like I really believe you!”

“That's not what I meant.” He turned his head just enough to shoot her an icy glare and flexed his fingers. She wasn't gonna let that intimidate her this time, though. “I care about Mytho. But I already know what you're gonna do to him, so any efforts to make me think otherwise? _That's_ what I don't give a shit about.”

“Right, okay. Whatever you say.” Ahiru rolled her eyes. “Nice try at saving face, though.”

“It wasn't. But it's not as if I really care what you think of me, so...” Fakir shrugged, and started walking away. “Believe what you want. Doesn't matter to me.”

“Fine! I will!” Ahiru hollered, just before stomping off in the opposite direction. Maybe he said something after that, but as long as she didn't hear it, she still had the last word, and that was enough.

Oh God, what a fucking asshole, though! Wow! Had she really thought she'd seen the worst of him before today? If she had, she'd been so dead wrong it was embarrassing. Clearly he had more depths of jerkassery to be plundered, and this probably _still_ wasn't the bottom of it. Not that she was going to give him the chance to show her those lower points. No, she was as completely done with him as he was with giving people chances, if not more so. Nice as this library was, maybe it was time to invest in a Kindle and some e-books, so she could stay happy and holed up in her room. No book was worth this aggravation.

Ahiru was so angry and shaken up that she didn't stop stomping until she was well out of the library, and even then it took a lot to keep her from stomping all the way back up to her room. When she got there she threw herself onto her bed and positively seethed for at least an hour, replaying the argument in her head and coming up with better comebacks now that she was well away from him. Wasn't that how it always worked? Couldn't come up with anything good in the moment, but once that moment was over, oh, of course you had something good to fire back at them. Ugh. Ahiru settled for screaming into a fluffy pillow that didn't deserve the abuse. Honestly, part of her wanted to just march back down there and curse him out, but she'd never had the courage to do that to anyone, and she was still too angry to be able to avoid saying things she wouldn't really mean and end up regretting.

That thought gave her pause, though, turning some of her rage into confusion. No, she wouldn't actually say a lot of the things that she thought of saying when she was angry. No, she didn't actually mean most of them. But she still thought of them. They still came into her head. So how could she really have a “precious, pure heart” like Mytho had said she did?

Maybe... maybe Fakir had a point? No, no, he definitely didn't have a point about anything! Ahiru shook her head and grimaced. He was just an asshole, no need to listen to anything he said, especially not when _he_ didn't want to listen to anyone else. He wasn't right. He was wrong. But... so was Mytho? In a way? He'd talked about choosing her for her pure heart, of watching her and determining that she had such a thing, but... how on earth could he be sure of that? He couldn't see inside her head. He couldn't see the ugly things that rose to her mind in situations like this, when she was so angry she could barely contain it. He couldn't see all her moments of weakness and selfish reactions that she pushed aside. Sure, she pushed them aside in the end, but they'd still happened. His image of her wasn't complete, it wasn't accurate, it was... it was idealized, it was...

It was _romanticized._

Ahiru went very still as that word occurred to her, aside from the fingers that clutched a little tighter at the pillow she was holding. Romanticized. Yeah. That was the perfect word for the idea he had of her, much to her dismay. In all her anger over Fakir's behavior, she'd almost forgotten the other half of the information he'd let slip: that Mytho apparently wanted to marry her. He'd developed some kind of romanticized, sappy image of her based on seeing her feed pixies and whatnot, and now he wanted her to live here and marry him.

Well. Maybe. Fakir had been cagey about that, and had refused to admit either way if Mytho actually _did_ want that from her. All he'd been willing to confirm was that Mytho was a prince. Sure, there was a good chance that Mytho did want marriage, given that other girls had been brought here before her for that purpose, but Mytho also hadn't said anything to her about it. At all. Maybe Fakir was right and Mytho really was getting cold feet. Maybe he was testing her to see if she was someone he could consider proposing to. Maybe he'd decided to lengthen the process this time around, after all the previous failures, put in some kind of screening mechanism. It'd... certainly explain a few things.

That said, it was still something she should've known about from the get-go. She should've been allowed to make an _actual_ informed choice about what she was getting into, and it really bothered her that she hadn't been given that chance. He'd brought her here on false pretenses, hiding his true intentions, and she'd gone along with it. For her family's sake, yes, and he'd made good on his promise to financially reward them all, but still. Marriage proposals, even just the _possibility_ of them, weren't something you should just omit, ever. If she was gonna do something like this, she deserved to know the facts. Not that she was gonna just go home now after hearing this—that would give Fakir the satisfaction of being proven right, and she could _not_ have that—but she _was_ going to ask Mytho about it at dinner tonight.

Ahiru spent the rest of the afternoon switching from show to show on Netflix, unable to concentrate on or enjoy any of them beyond the first five to ten minutes, thanks to the thoughts weighing down her brain and constantly distracting her. Not just the memories of Fakir's awful behavior, but her own questions about this entire situation, and how she was going to phrase and bring up those questions to Mytho at dinner tonight. She had to be careful in her wording—she didn't want him to think she was ready to leave or anything like that—while also getting across that she wasn't letting him off the hook for keeping this shit from her. How to do that? How to strike that balance? How to segue into it at all? This was gonna be tough.

Honestly, this was all just so fucking strange. Even if Mytho had approached all this in a normal way, he was still a _bear_. A giant fucking polar bear. Like Iorek Byrnison, only with less armor. And Lyra had never even _thought_ about marrying _him!_ Ahiru shuddered. That would've been a different and very weird book. But this wasn't a book, it was the real world, and she was really being asked—or so it seemed—to marry a huge talking bear. One she had fun with, sure, but that was different from _marriage_. No matter how much she enjoyed his company and loved talking to him, no matter how much she wanted to see him happy and truly smiling, could she really marry a bear? It was true that she had very fond feelings for him already, that talking to him at dinner was the big highlight of her day, every day, but that didn't mean those feelings were romantic, right? Oh God, that would be so _weird_ if they were! Ahiru cringed. Maybe she wasn't being open-minded enough, but that just... well, it freaked her out a little. And the wife of a monarch was supposed to produce _children_. How would that even... with a... no, no, she could _not_ think about that!

And she wouldn't. Not just yet, anyway. First things first: determine if this really was the situation. It'd be hard, and scary, but she had to do it. So she steeled herself, rehearsed a little, and waited. And despite her nervousness, it was actually something of a relief when it came time to get ready for dinner. Less time to sit and stew and worry, if nothing else. She threw on a fancy dress, wrangled her hair into a mostly-neat bun, and hurried downstairs to the dining room.

Dinner had already been set out for her when she got there, as usual, and also as usual it looked and smelled delicious. Ahiru's appetite left something to be desired, though, and she didn't do much more than pick at it, her anxious energy over what was to come upsetting her stomach too much for her to really eat. Time dragged on, and the longer Mytho took to appear the worse she felt. Was he not going to show tonight? Had he spoken to Fakir and then, for some reason, decided to skip out on joining her for the evening meal? Was she really supposed to wait to ask him everything? Or was he just going to avoid her now to get out of answering the questions he must know she had? That would... oh, that would piss her off so much! But no, that wasn't like Mytho, it couldn't be. She had to have faith in him. He would come to see her tonight, he would. And if not tonight, then there was a logical explanation why that had nothing to do with all this and he'd be back tomorrow, just like always.

Mytho did show up, though, and Ahiru glanced at the clock to see that he wasn't really late, she'd just misjudged how much time had actually passed since she'd gotten here. That was kinda embarrassing, but at least no one knew how silly she'd been. Ahiru mustered up a smile as Mytho crossed the room to his usual spot at the head of the table. “H-hi, Mytho.”

“Good evening, Ahiru.” He nodded to her as he settled himself on the floor. “I trust that this night finds you well?”

He always asked something like that. And for once, she didn't know how to answer. “I, uh... yeah. Yeah, I'm fine.” Ahiru bent her head and poked at a potato with her fork. “Wh-what about you?”

“I am concerned about your wellbeing, now that I have received your answer to my query.” She could all but hear the frown in his voice. “Ahiru, what is it? What troubles you so?”

“Nothing!” Ahiru shook her head. “It's nothing, really!” _Stupid!_ She all but kicked herself. It wasn't nothing, not at all, and she really needed to ask him stuff—why pretend like this? Maybe Fakir was right about her lack of intelligence... “Don't-don't worry, okay?”

“I cannot. And Ahiru, _you_ cannot hide your distress from me. It is writ large all over you. Please, will you not tell me? I have told you over and over that I wish for you to be happy here, and if you are discontented then I would know, so I mayattempt to right it and restore your good cheer to you.”

“Well... okay. I mean...” Ahiru took a deep breath. “I—I meant to ask you about something anyway, I dunno why I pretended not to have anything on my mind, just habit I guess... but anyway, there's lots of stuff I need to ask you.” She looked up at him to gauge his reaction.

If he'd heard anything from Fakir and suspected what her questions were gonna be about, then he was really good at not showing it. “Ask me, then. Ask me whatever your heart desires. Just understand that I may not be able to tell you everything, depending on what it is you wish to know.”

Ugh, _that_ again? Ahiru tried not to let her rising annoyance show on her face, though her fingers tightened on her napkin. If she walked out of here without the answers she deserved because of him doing that to her again, she was gonna be really pissed at him. Not enough to leave, probably, but still _really pissed_. “Okay, well, um... ah, how do I even start? Well...” Ahiru twisted the napkin in her hands. “I—I guess I should just... say it straight out, probably...” She gulped. “I—I was talking to Fakir again earlier, and he said... well... is—is it true that you're a prince? And that I'm not the first girl you've brought here like this?”

“Ah...” Mytho lowered his head and closed his eyes. “Ahiru, I... that is...”

“ _Please_ ,” Ahiru whispered, some of her frustration creeping into her voice despite herself. “Please, I need to know... and I wanna hear it from _you_...”

“... I understand.” Mytho sighed heavily. “Then... yes. Yes, what you have heard is true. I am indeed a prince, and you are not the first girl to have been brought to my palace.”

“Oh.” Ahiru stared down at her lap. “Then... then... so... why...”

“They were not right,” Mytho said. “Not one of them. So I searched for something different this time, in hopes that it would make a difference. And I found you, and here you are.”

“Yeah, I... I figured that...” Her fingers tightened on the napkin again. “Fakir kinda suggested—well, more than suggested, really—that you were looking to have those girls marry you, and I guess he assumed it was true for me too, but it didn't work out with them obviously, so you went searching again for a different kind of...” Ahiru stopped, her jaw slackening. How? How had she not put two and two together until this moment? Was she really that stupid, or had she just needed the confirmation and then to say the words out loud? “Wait a minute... you're... I heard on the radio about you. That day...” She lifted her head to stare at him, stunned. “The morning of the day you showed up with your offer, I heard... someone was talking about... a fairy prince searching for a bride. That was... that was _you? Is_ you, rather?”

The memories flooded back like it'd just happened that morning. She'd been lying in bed, listening to a radio report about an attack on a fae-owned business, and the newscaster had said something about a “string of isolated incidents on the rise lately”, which had started with the rumors about some prince searching for a bride. Had the guy mentioned Schwanensee by name? She couldn't remember, it'd been too long. But she _had_ known about the whole “fairy prince wanting a wife” thing. And at the time, she'd naturally dismissed it as irrelevant to her life, because who cared if some prince wanted to get married, fae or otherwise? Had nothing to do with her, right? Wrong. It'd turned out to have _everything_ to do with her, she just hadn't put it all together. Now that she had, it felt surreal, to say the least. She wasn't normally the kind of person who'd ever be connected with anything big enough to be on the news. Could it really be happening? Ahiru felt awed, in a weird way.

“Assuming that there are no other fairy princes currently looking for wives that I am unaware of, then... yes.” Mytho nodded. “I am the one you heard of on your radio.”

“A-and me?” Ahiru's eyes were so wide it almost hurt. “I'm supposed to... you want _me_ to be your _bride?_ ”

Mytho nodded again. “Yes. I would indeed like that.”

“But... but I'm _human!_ And you're a... a _bear!_ ” Ahiru paused, wincing. “I mean... okay, you know that, obviously, but... but for me, it's...” She wrung her napkin in her hands again. “It's... um...”

“Strange to contemplate?” There was something almost wry about the glint in Mytho's eyes.

“Yeah, seriously.” Ahiru nodded, and her grip on the napkin relaxed. “And like, not to mention... humans and fae don't really have a good, trusting relationship in general, you know?”

“Another valid point. And yet, paradoxically, precisely the reason I seek a marriage between myself and one of the human world.”

Ahiru tilted her head slightly. “How d'you mean?”

“Freya has told me that you know of her heritage, and what you discussed that day in regards to the half-fae. You recall her story, correct?” When Ahiru nodded, Mytho continued. “The abominable treatment of half-fae is a thing that I wish did not exist, but alas, it remains a reality of our shared world. A reality that grieves me beyond the telling of it.” His eyes became mournful, so much so that it barely registered that he was seriously using the same phrase that Fakir had mockingly used towards her earlier. “I have long seen the need for such cruelty to end, and I nurture a hope within my heart that I can help to effect or at least influence that sort of change, by wedding a human girl myself. To bridge our worlds by setting an example of acceptance and making it plain that all should be loved and treated equally, spreading change outward as a ripple moves through water.”

“Okay, yeah... that makes sense...” Ahiru took a deep breath and let it out. “I can see that. But... when were you going to tell me about this? Or, really, when were you going to _ask_ me about it?”

“I do not know,” Mytho admitted. “Forgive me for my hesitancy, it is simply... well, I assume that Fakir told you that things went badly with those other girls?” Ahiru nodded, and he continued. “And I have just told you myself that they were not right. As a result of so many failures I was left wary, and though I am more sure of you I nevertheless wished to wait and see, to give you a chance to become acclimated to this castle and its inhabitants...and to me. I am sorry if that causes you distress.”

“No, no, I can understand that.” Ahiru looked down at her lap, awkwardly smoothing out the napkin she'd crumpled up. “You... don't really know me, so you don't know if I'm gonna end up being different or the same. I get it.”

“Nonsense, I have plenty of reason to be certain that you are indeed different.” Mytho paused. “That said, it is now my turn to ask a question of you. Namely—I would like to know your thoughts on this idea. On the possibility of marrying me.”

“I... I dont know.” Ahiru swallowed. “I'm sorry, I honestly don't. It's nothing against you, I just... I've never even _dated_ anyone, how can I just jump straight to thinking about marriage? That's a really big step, I dunno how fast courtships move for the fae, but I'm not fae. I need time. Especially with the whole...” She waved her hand in the air in his general direction. “Bear thing. Sorry, I just... I still haven't adjusted to that, I need time for that too...”

“No, that is perfectly reasonable, I understand your misgivings completely.” Mytho nodded. “Take all the time that you need, then—I shall wait patiently for your answer. So long as you still wish to stay here while you consider it, then all is well.”

“It is?” Ahiru frowned. “I mean, not that I don't wanna stay, I do, it's just... well, I just, um... I was kinda worried that... that if I stayed here while not knowing what I think of it, I'd be kinda... taking advantage of you?” She wrinkled her nose. “Of your kindness, I mean... like... I dunno if using you would be the right term, but I don't wanna like... lead you on or anything or—”

“Ahiru.” Mytho's soft but firm voice stopped her babbling, at least for the moment. “You are considering my offer, yes? Not just pretending to, with the intent of eventually saying no?”

“I—y-yeah.” Ahiru nodded, feeling a fresh blush spread across her cheeks. “I'm gonna think about it, and get back to you...”

“Then you are not doing any of the things you fear you are. Moreover, it is my wish for you to stay here, and also... well, let us just say that if you chose to go home and think about it, rather than remaining here, I would have to declare our arrangement at an end. For our agreement was that you would live here, and make this palace your home. If you return to your family for more than a brief visit, then that is in violation of what we agreed to. So you see, you need not worry about doing me wrong by staying.”

“Oh. Okay.” Ahiru blinked. Honestly, it was kinda weird that it should be like that, that she should have to stay, but she wasn't gonna question it. She'd agreed to the deal, after all, and giving your word to the fae was even more binding than signing a written contract with a human, if the stories she'd heard were true. “Then, since it's okay, I really would like to stay.” Partly just to shut Fakir up, if she was honest with herself.

“Then stay you shall.” Mytho nodded, and gave her that small smile she was getting used to. And his eyes—was that a spark of hope in them? That was another reason to stay: to see those eyes finally looking happy. She didn't want to let him down any more than she had when they'd first met, if anything she wanted that even less now that she'd actually spent some time with him. “In any case, the hour turns late, and I have grown weary—so I will depart your delightful company now, and bid you goodnight.”

It wasn't _that_ late. But who knew when he'd gotten up, or what he'd been doing all day? “Okay.” Ahiru nodded. “Night, Mytho—see you tomorrow?”

“As always.”

He turned and ambled back out the door. Ahiru watched him, and then looked down at her half-eaten dinner. It had to be cold by now, and despite having gotten her answers, she wasn't really any more inclined to keep eating than she had been before Mytho had come in. Her stomach squirmed. Hopefully, Ebine and the others would just think she was sick or something, and not that they'd done a bad job with dinner. She pushed her plate away, wiped at her face with her napkin, and headed upstairs.

A cup of tea to calm herself down sounded good, though. So she had Raetsel bring her a big mug of chamomile, and sipped it while she soaked in the tub with a book. After that she was so sleepy that she just crawled straight into bed and turned the light off.

Her thoughts kept her awake for a good long while, though, longer than she wanted. Foremost in them was the fact that she'd just gotten proposed to by a fae bear. Sorta. Was it really all that different, though, for all intents and purposes? No. Mytho wanted to marry her. That was a fact. The question was, did she want to marry him? She'd told him she was considering it, but had she really thought about what that meant until now? Ahiru wasn't sure. In all the emotional upheaval of the day, stopping to honestly consider the possibility of marrying him didn't seem to have actually happened at any point. Now seemed as good a time as any to start, even if she _was_ exhausted from all that had gone on. Mytho seemed willing to give her plenty of time to think about it, but she needed to start somewhere, and she wouldn't gain anything by pushing it to the back of her mind.

It was easier said than done, though. How on earth was she supposed to consider something she felt so, well... _muddled_ on? To start off with, there was still the bear thing. That was probably the biggest issue. But even if she managed to set that aside and get past it, there were still a million other concerns to deal with after that. For one, just like she'd told Mytho, she'd never even dated anyone. Skipping that part and going right to marriage felt like learning how to swim by diving into the deep end of the pool. Unless... unless their time together so far counted as dating? Ahiru paused. What about that time they'd gone ice-skating? And the other things they'd done? Had those all been dates? Mytho hadn't said anything earlier when she'd brought up the topic of not dating anyone, and it'd never occurred to her to ask till now. True, neither of them had called those things that, and she hadn't considered the idea that they might be, but then, she'd still been in the dark about his true motives. They could very well be dating already, technically, even if neither of them would call it that. Did that make it any better? She didn't know.

And if it did constitute dating, what then? How did she feel about that? About him? Typically people formed stronger opinions about the other person after a while of dating, deciding if they wanted to _keep_ dating, what they thought of them now that they'd spent time together and knew each other better, if they really were as compatible as they'd hoped and if any sparks flew or not. Right? So then, what did she think of Mytho now?

That was... well, it was a question without any easy answers. Yes, she liked him. Yes, she enjoyed the time they spent together. Yes, being around him brightened her day and made her happy. But was that enough to base a marriage on? A mixed marriage between human and fae, no less—that had to be _really_ carefully considered from all angles before she could even _think_ about saying yes. She didn't want any harm to come to him for marrying her, a mere human, after all. He probably already had some political enemies and it'd be taking an enormous risk to add to that by getting hitched to a human. Could she really say yes, knowing what could happen to them both? Freya's story still haunted her, and she knew there had to be even worse ones out there, of real violence done to humans and fae who'd fallen in love and tried to start a family.

It was pretty overwhelming. There were so many things to consider, and if she was honest, the bear thing was still tripping her up, more than anything else by far. Even so, she wasn't sure she had it in her to say no just yet. If Mytho thought it could work, then maybe there was a way, something she didn't know. There was a _lot_ she didn't know about fae magic, after all.

The soft swishing of curtains interrupted her thoughts, and Ahiru froze, despite that she hadn't actually been doing anything. She heard the sheets get lifted up, and then the familiar weight and warmth of the stranger settled in beside her. They never made any other noise but that—just the unavoidable sounds of the canopy curtains and sheets being moved to let them in—and so she still had no idea who they were. If they were even someone she knew.

More importantly, though, this added another uncomfortable wrinkle to her situation with Mytho. Was he aware that this was happening every night? True, she'd never told him, but he was the prince, the owner and ruler of this palace. She found it hard to believe that he wouldn't know all or at least most of what went on in it. _Somebody_ had to have told him by now that someone was sneaking into his potential bride's room at night. If so, why wasn't he doing anything about it? Was there some reason for him to let it go on? What the hell kind of reason could there even _be_ to allow that? No, no, that didn't make any sense at all. Well, not in human terms, anyway. Maybe there was some kind of weird fae logic? It could be some kind of bizarre test she was supposed to pass, like sleeping on top of a zillion mattresses with a pea underneath them or some ridiculous shit like that. Why _this_ specific strange set-up she didn't know, but maybe it made sense to them. Ahiru sighed and shrugged and rolled over, her back to the sleeping weirdo, and let herself finally drift off.

***

A few more days passed, in which Ahiru didn't set foot in the library once. She kept herself busy with dancing and Netflix and the few books she still had, plus playing in the snow and visiting Freya in the greenhouse. After what Fakir had said about the others just pretending to like her she'd been afraid to go talk to her, but as soon as she had, her lingering doubts had been erased. Freya genuinely did care about her—she could tell—and she clearly remembered that day in the woods and how happy Freya had been to get called her friend. No, Fakir was wrong—he was projecting his own mistrust and hatred for her onto everyone else and acting like it was solid fact. What bullshit.

But the previous girls _had_ been awful to everyone. That _was_ a fact. Mytho had pretty much confirmed it. Ahiru didn't ask about it, that first encounter with Freya after the revelation, but it hung at the back of her mind the whole time. How hurt she must have been by those terrible girls—her more than anyone, given her half-fae heritage. That she could still extend kindness and warmth to Ahiru despite that, still want to be her friend... that just spoke to how lovely a person Freya really was at heart. Honestly, Mytho ought to marry _her_ , not Ahiru. It'd still be a strong political symbol, to marry a half-fae and set an example of acceptance, or whatever he'd said. Why did it have to be someone purely human?

The second time she saw Freya after her argument with Fakir, she _did_ ask that, unable to contain the question burning inside her. But Freya only laughed. “Oh, Ahiru. I do not know why he feels he must select a pure human, rather than a half-fae—perhaps he thinks it will make more of a statement to have his heirs be the half-fae. But even if he wished for my hand in marriage, I would have to decline his offer, because it is not something that is of interest to me.”

“Well... I _guess_ I can see that logic, even if to me it makes just as much sense to marry a half-fae and have the heirs be... I dunno, three-quarters?” Ahiru shrugged. “Whatever. But if _you_ don't want to, then that's that.”

“Indeed.” Freya snipped at the branch of the bonsai she was tending to. “Mytho is a wonderful employer, whom I care about and value greatly, and feel an immense debt of gratitude towards for all that he has done for me. But I am more than content to be his gardener and nothing else, and do not dream of anything more.”

“That's fair.” Ahiru frowned. “I hope I didn't offend you by asking, though... sorry.”

“Oh, not at all!” Freya laughed again, even as she set aside the bit of branch she'd trimmed. “To tell you the truth, I am relieved that you know of his true status now, that you and I may converse more freely about it.”

“Yeah, that makes sense.” Ahiru sighed. “Ugh, I feel so _stupid_ , though, you know? I should've realized it sooner, instead of having to be _told_ by someone.” That that “someone” had been that jerkass Fakir made it even worse.

“Oh, do not be so hard on yourself.” Freya shook her head. “I understand the impulse, but in all fairness Mytho was making an effort at concealing it from you, and had forbidden the rest of us to speak of it to you.”

Forbidden? Did that mean Fakir had gotten in trouble for slipping up? She didn't know how to feel about that. “I guess.” Ahiru shrugged. “I get that it must've been weird for it to suddenly be a secret, though, when the others before me knew.”

“The... yes, the... others.” Freya's voice lowered on that last word, and something flickered in her eyes for a moment before vanishing. “It was... quite the change to have a newcomer around that was unaware of that fact about Mytho.”

 _Fuck_. Ahiru tried not to wince, and wished she could call the words back and swallow them. What an _idiot_ she was to bring that up directly and remind her of those girls! “Yeah, I bet.” Ahiru peered at the little tree. “How do you know where to trim on these, anyway?”

The change of subject seemed to be a relief to Freya, and she happily launched into a lengthy, but fascinating, explanation of proper bonsai care.

Very soon, though, Ahiru became aware that she had an even more pressing problem than that of her possible marriage to Mytho. Or more immediate, anyway. Namely: Christmas. It was getting dangerously close, and she still hadn't done any gift-shopping yet. It'd somehow slipped her mind before in all the excitement of everything going on—both good and bad—and now she really needed to get going on that before it was too late. It was just—how? The internet connection in her room wasn't reliable enough—half the time when she watched something on Netflix it wound up being really blurry and pixelated for at least a while thanks to the shaky connection—and she still didn't want to go in the library and risk running into Fakir. No, she'd have to find a way to get to Goldenkrone, and figure something out for shipping. No way was she missing out on buying presents for her family when she finally had enough money to really spoil them!

Obviously the best person to ask was Raetsel. So, on the fifth morning after her argument with Fakir, Ahiru didn't ring the bell right away after finishing breakfast, but instead waited till after she'd gotten herself dressed and ready for a trip into town.

It didn't take long for Raetsel to appear in her customary whirlwind of air. “Yes, Ahiru? Ah, I see you've finished breakfast, let me clear those away... anything else?”

“Yes, actually!” Ahiru nodded. “That road that leads away from the palace—that goes down to town, right? To Goldenkrone?”

“Hmmm? Oh, yes, it does.” Raetsel tilted her head slightly. “Why?”

“Well, I just... I wanted to know if there's some specific way I need to go on it, like, does it lead straight there, or does it branch off, so do I—”

“Wait, wait,” Raetsel interrupted, frowning. “You don't mean that you intend to _walk_ to town, do you? That is not wise, not in these weather conditions with so much ice and snow, and even in better seasons it is still unadvisable for a single person on foot. Please, if there's something you need, you have but to tell me and I will add it to my shopping list.”

“I can't, though.” Ahiru shook her head. “Not this time, anyway. Cause I don't just need groceries, I have to actually do shopping myself. For Christmas.”

“Ah. I see. Well, in that case I would not mind driving you into town myself so that you could do your shopping, but I do have to ask...” Her brow knit in confusion. “Is there something wrong, that you cannot do it on your laptop? Has the wifi ceased to function, even in the library?”

“N-no, it's... I mean...” Ahiru tried not to squirm. “It... well, it doesn't work that great in here, but I'm sure it still works fine in the library... but I don't really want to go in there, I'd rather just do my shopping in town, if that's okay...”

“As I said, I don't mind driving you there. But again I must ask a question.” Raetsel's frown deepened. “Forgive me if I am intruding, but why do you not wish to go in the library? I thought you loved it there...”

“I did. I do. Mostly.” Ahiru wrung her hands. “But Fakir's always been so... and then last week, we had a really big argument and he was so _awful_ , and I really don't want to talk to him...”

“... Fakir. I see.” Raetsel seemed to sigh. “Yes, he's... well, if I may be blunt without truly bad-mouthing a coworker, he can be a bit abrasive at times.”

“At _times?_ ” Ahiru stared at her. “You mean, like, _all_ the time, right? Cause he's always such a jerk to me, ugh, I can't _stand_ him...”

“He is... well...” Raetsel coughed delicately into her hand. “He does not let others get close. He is loyal to Mytho, and I'm sure he feels a certain solidarity with the rest of us who work for him, purely based on our shared allegiance to our prince, but he nevertheless keeps us all at arm's length.”

“Yeah, because he's a—”

“I was not finished.” There was something gentle but firm about Raetsel's tone, and it made Ahiru close her mouth and turn a little red with embarrassment. “Fakir is... he is the way he is. There is no way around that. And that is because there are reasons for it, reasons I will not speak of because they are not mine to divulge. Moreover, you will recall that I said just now that he feels a certain solidarity with the rest of us, yes?”

“...Y-yeah.” Ahiru nodded.

“Well, then, that solidarity can only have been increased by our experiences since Mytho took up his search for a bride. As you've been told already, all the others he tried were wrong, and mistreated us all greatly. It has been very hard on all of us, to put it mildly.” Raetsel sighed. “To be treated so poorly, to see all your coworkers treated just as bad if not worse, and to see the person you are most loyal to subjected to heartbreak and disappointment and cruel words over and over... it wears a person down. Fakir doesn't talk about it to me, or to anyone, really, but that has been the experience we all have had, and I suspect it is no different for him, despite the distance he works to keep himself at. Please, put yourself in our shoes and try to understand what we've been through.”

The words hung in the air for a moment as Ahiru struggled to find a response. Up till now Raetsel had done nothing but play the part of the patient, kind servant whose job was to please her. Of course there was more to her than that, anyone who worked retail would know how you had to put up a cheery facade so you didn't piss off either your customers or your manager. Maybe that was why she hadn't expected to see anything else from Raetsel, why hearing her defend Fakir from what she'd thought was totally justified anger left her temporarily speechless. She knew better than anyone what the risks of that kind of thing were, so she hadn't thought it'd happen. And even worse, she'd let herself put Raetsel in the awkward position of being forced to choose between taking that risk, or pretending to be okay with someone badmouthing her coworker. Was this new life of hers really making her forget already what it was like on the other side? Shame swept over her.

“... I do,” Ahiru whispered as she finally found words to reply with, her shoulders slumping. “I do, I really do... I...” She swallowed. “I feel so... I feel so bad for all of you, cause you don't deserve that... I didn't ask Freya about it, but I know she must've been hurt the worst by how those girls acted and I just...” A lump rose in her throat. “She doesn't deserve that, none of you do. And I'm so happy that she wants to be my friend and all, even after the others Mytho brought here were mean to her, but... if she wanted to keep her distance, I wouldn't blame her. I mean... you really don't have any proof that I won't turn out to be just like them, no matter what Mytho says.”

“We don't. That's true.” Raetsel nodded. “However, I am more in line with Freya and Mytho than Fakir—I would prefer to keep an open mind and hope that things will turn out differently this time.”

“I hope so too. I mean... I want it to be different, and I couldn't... I can't just be mean to someone just cause they're different.” Ahiru looked down at the floor. “I just... I wish it hadn't been kept a secret from me, that Mytho wants that, and that I'm not the first, so Fakir could've just explained things to me from the start. And I also...”

“You also what?” Raetsel asked after a beat.

“I wanted to be friends with him.” Ahiru's face burned. “I _tried_ to be friends with him. Cause, you know, we're the only two humans here, and I thought we could talk about shared life experiences and all that, but he just... shoved me away without an explanation, and I feel like an idiot...”

“... Ah.” Raetsel nodded slowly. “I see. Well... consider that perhaps Fakir attempted such a connection with your predecessors? Only to be harshly rejected on account of being seen as a traitor, a fae sympathizer? Enough of such treatment, and one eventually decides not to even bother trying anymore.”

“Oh... no, I hadn't thought of that...” Ahiru whispered, her eyes stinging. “That's... that's awful...” And it wasn't something that even Fakir deserved, as mean as he had been to her. No, more than that, it explained _why_ he'd been so mean. He'd assumed that she'd turn out to be cruel too, and even if he was wrong, he still had a valid reason for it, since he'd been through it before. And here she was, acting like he should've just assumed the best of a total stranger despite having been given so much reason to mistrust Mytho's prospective brides. And honestly, how stupid of her not to even consider that idea, given how she herself had been treated in high school for having the nerve to try to be friendly to the few fae students there. “I should've... I'm the _worst_...”

“No, Ahiru.” Raetsel shook her head, her voice gentle. “You are not the worst, and you are not an... an 'idiot'. You were kept in the dark, you cannot help that. And I do not condone his behavior, despite understanding it. You should have been treated with more civility.”

“I guess.” Ahiru gave a half-hearted shrug. “Anyway, I...” She wiped at her eyes. “Could you—could you take me into Goldenkrone today? Please? I really do need to do some shopping, and try to get it shipped to my family in time...” There was even less question of doing it all online now. How could she face Fakir? She couldn't. At least, not until she brought him his Christmas present, some sort of peace offering between the two of them. Would he even accept it? Did they even celebrate Christmas in the castle? Maybe not, but she had to try.

“Of course.” Raetsel smiled. “As I said, I will be happy to... just let me take your dishes back to the kitchen and ready myself, and then we shall meet in the front hall?”

“Yeah, that'd be great!” Ahiru nodded. “Take your time!”

After Raetsel left, Ahiru did a double-check to make sure she had everything she needed. All was there, all was good, so she grabbed some shoes and went downstairs. Raetsel was already waiting for her, having put a cloak and scarf on over her long dress. “Are you ready to go, Ahiru?”

“Yeah, I'll just need to put my shoes on when we get to the garage.” Ahiru paused. “Y'know... I still don't even know where the garage _is_.”

“It is well-hidden, so that is no surprise.” Raetsel laughed. “Come along, follow me.”

“Okay...”

Ahiru followed Raetsel down an only vaguely familiar winding corridor, one that branched and looped off in several different confusing directions. Well. That explained why she hadn't found the garage. She'd tried exploring this section one day a couple weeks ago, but had gotten so hopelessly lost and turned around that she'd given up when she found herself right back at the beginning, and had decided to just go watch TV in her room.

“This area is constructed this way for a reason,” Raetsel said, as if reading Ahiru's thoughts. “And overlaid with certain spells. It is part of the security system we have here.”

“Oh, that makes sense...”

“Yes. And it's very effective.” She chuckled. “Now then, right through here is the garage.” Raetsel opened a surprisingly ordinary-looking white door, and flipped a switch on the wall inside. She waited for Ahiru to put her shoes on, and then started walking. “My car is down at the end, past these other ones.”

The other ones turned out to be a long series of various vehicles, ranging from fancy to shabby. “Are these all Mytho's?” Ahiru paused, and winced. “I mean... does he own them all?” What a stupid question—as if bears could drive!

“In a sense.” Raetsel shrugged. “Some are... his personal collection, purchased for-for aesthetic reasons—we all have our eccentricities, I suppose, and enjoy collecting various knick-knacks that don't do anything but sit there—while others are those he's purchased, but belong to the staff. He pays us well, but also insists on purchasing cars for those of us who can drive.” She stopped as they reached the last car, a simply black four-door Camry, and dug her keys out of her purse. “He would've bought me something fancier, and tried to insist, but I am not one for flashy possessions.”

“Nothing wrong with that.” Ahiru walked around to the other side, and opened the passenger side door. “Wait. Is it okay if I sit up front?”

“Of course.” Raetsel got in and clicked the button on the garage door opener she'd left in the cup-holder. It slid open almost soundlessly, presenting Ahiru with a good view of the snow-covered vista ahead of them. “Buckle yourself in, we'll be on our way as soon I warm this thing up.”

“Okay.” Ahiru did as she was told. “I—I actually do have a license too, it's just... my family owns the one car, or they did, anyway, and I never got to drive it, I don't even know why I bother renewing it...”

“Well, you never know when it might come in handy.” Raetsel adjusted the rearview mirror. “Someday you may want to purchase your own car, for a measure of independence.”

Ahiru glanced sideways at her. “I... can't have one now?”

“You have not been here for very long at all. I think Mytho would prefer to be more sure that you are not going to use a vehicle to just drive away from here.”

“... Oh.” Ahiru sank down a little into her seat. “That makes sense...” She swallowed. “I-I'm kinda surprised you drive, though...”

“What?” Raetsel paused in the middle of checking her makeup in the mirror, and turned to look at Ahiru with a frown. “Why do you say that?”

“Oh, just...” Ahiru's face burned with embarrassment. “You don't usually... I mean, you tend to kinda ignore most human technology? Like the wifi and cable and stuff? I mean, there's nothing wrong with that if you're not interested, it's just... I kinda didn't think you'd be into driving a car either. Sorry if that's rude of me...”

“Oh... no, no, it's an understandable question.” Raetsel laughed, and went back to checking her makeup. “I suppose I can see your logic. But the thing is, Ahiru, cars are an older form of technology than television and the internet, and even those of us who tend to eschew most human innovations have had ample time to catch up with _some_ things. Such as motorized transportation. Besides which, it is important that some of us be able to operate vehicles in case of emergencies and whatnot.”

“True, yeah, that would be important.” Ahiru shifted in her seat a little. “Sorry if I was rude.”

“It is fine.” Raetsel put her mirror back up and turned the key in the ignition. “Do not worry about it.”

They didn't talk for a while after that. The drive took about twenty minutes, winding and twisting through a steep, rocky valley. No wonder Raetsel had said it was a bad idea to walk through, she couldn't imagine getting through here without falling and hurting herself. As it was, the terrain made her worry about their chances of _driving_ and making it out alive. Raetsel was an excellent driver, though, and it felt very likely that the car had some spells on it too, so about halfway through she started to relax and enjoy the scenery more. It wasn't a very sunny day, in fact it was fairly overcast, but something about that just made the wintry landscape even prettier.

When Goldenkrone finally came into view, Ahiru found herself sitting up straighter to get a better look at it. It looked very old world, all ivy-covered brick and cobblestone streets and grey stone, like something out of a photo of European towns, not a typical city here in... well, wherever they were. The only thing Ahiru was sure about was that she and Mytho hadn't crossed an ocean to get here. And even more surprising was the fact that humans and fae alike seemed to be passing each other in the streets without animosity, even interacting in a friendly way! Ahiru goggled.

“Goldenkrone is a part of Mytho's demesne,” Raetsel said, answered an unspoken question. “He, and his parents before him, have always cultivated an environment of tolerance and acceptance, welcoming those without hate who wish to live in peace and harmony. That much has never changed, at least.”

Ahiru looked over at her. She'd never thought about Mytho's parents before. But now... “Where... where _are_ Mytho's parents? Did something happen to them?”

“War and exile are not exclusive to humanity; that is all I can or will say.” Raetsel pulled into a parking lot in front of a tall building made of stone so dark it almost looked black. “Now then, this is our biggest department store, you should be able to find much of what you need here, I suspect. Is this suitable as a starting point for you?”

“Yeah, that works.” Ahiru nodded. “Are you going to come in with me, or just wait out here?”

“Waiting out here sounds boring. And besides, you might need help carrying things.” Raetsel laughed. “So, if you do not mind...?”

“Of course not! That'd be great!” Ahiru smiled back at her. “I really appreciate it!”

“It is what I'm here for.”

“Well, I kinda think you're going above and beyond, but okay.” Ahiru shrugged. “Though... now that we're kinda on the subject... is it okay if I buy presents for you, and Mytho, and Freya and Fakir? I'd like to be able to get you all stuff, but I want to make sure it'd be okay with all of you. Like, do you even celebrate the holidays?”

“We do not celebrate your 'Christmas' holiday, but we do observe Yule.” Raetsel pulled up behind a car getting ready to back out of its space. “So a small gift would be well within the bounds of propriety if you really do wish to do that. It isn't a requirement, mind, but it would not be seen as improper either.”

“Okay, good to know.” Ahiru nodded. “Yuletide gifts it is!”

Once Raetsel had parked, they headed inside and spent about three hours searching for the right gifts for everyone on Ahiru's list. Raetsel had called it a department store, but it was more like a mall in terms of the variety of things it stocked. It was kind of overwhelming at first, but then that gave way to excitement. When was the last time she'd gotten to shop for something fun at a mall? Not for a while. And even when she had, it hadn't been like this, with an unlimited budget that meant she didn't have to worry about affording everything she wanted to buy for people. Now she could pick out whatever she wanted for her parents and her sister, and for the first time in her life not care about what the price stickers said. It was so _freeing_. The three hours went by in something of a haze, with Ahiru losing herself in the freedom and joy of shopping without restrictions. Just picturing her family's reactions to the gifts she was getting for them was enough to bring happy tears to her eyes and a lump to her throat. Oh, if only she could be there to see their reactions in person! It was so much fun to buy these gifts and finally be able to spoil them, but knowing that she couldn't be there on Christmas morning to watch them get unwrapped put a little bit of a damper on it. Maybe next year? She'd have to see where things stood on this situation with Mytho at that point. But then, that was the real cost of this shopping spree, wasn't it? Not the money she was paying for all this stuff, but that she couldn't see initial reactions to any of it. There was always a price somehow. Ahiru sighed and tried to put that out of her mind, focus on picking just the right gifts for everyone.

By the end of the three hours, she'd gotten presents for everyone except Raetsel and Fakir. She and Raetsel were starving at that point, so they agreed to stop for lunch. They headed up to the food court on the fifth floor and sat down to eat their meals while surrounded by boxes and bags.

“Ah, that was really good!” Ahiru sighed contentedly as she polished off her lunch. “Now, um, I meant to ask you this before, but I forgot... what about shipping? I'd really like to get this to my family in time for Christmas, but I don't know if that's possible at this point...”

“No worries about that.” Raetsel drained the last of her drink. “There's a fae-run delivery service here in town, and they'll be able to get your family their gifts in a matter of days. All you need is their address.”

“Ah... yeah, yeah, right!” Ahiru nodded. There'd been a moment of panic there as she remembered that her parents had moved, but it was replaced with swift relief as she then also remembered that Paulamoni had sent her the address of their new house. Pike and Lilie were supposed to be looking for a place of their own, and Malen might move out within the year, but they were still all living there for now. A pang went through Ahiru at the thought of missing out on spending Christmas with them—the first time she ever had—but she shook it off. “That's convenient, and... a relief, cause I really shouldn't have left it this long... I mean, I know there's been a lot to get caught up in and adjusted to, but still...”

“No fear.” Raetsel reached over and patted her hand. “They'll receive everything on time, and given your circumstances your delay is understandable. Now then, shall we continue? I believe you said you were almost done...”

“Yep!” Ahiru nodded. “Just a couple more, and then we can go home!”

Home sounded good to both of them, so they got rid of their trash, gathered up the already-made purchases, and went on their way. Ahiru found Fakir's gift first, and then Raetsel obligingly went to wait in the car for her—along with everything she insisted she could carry—while Ahiru shopped for her gift. When that was done, Ahiru headed back out to Raetsel's Camry, and Raetsel drove them over to the delivery service place. It looked a bit like a UPS store, but apparently they were actually fast and reliable here. Ahiru looked up her parents' new address on her phone, and got everything boxed up and shipped out, with the friendly clerk promising her that it would be delivered within a few days, give or take, and allowing for the holiday rush.

With that done, Ahiru could relax. So much so that she nearly fell asleep on the ride home, much to Raetsel's amusement. Raetsel helped her carry the remaining bags and boxes up to her room, and then left her alone to change and unwind before dinner.

It'd been a good day. Now she just had to wait and see what everyone thought of her gift choices.

***

The next two weeks passed at an uneven rate, sometimes going by so slowly, other times flying by. Ahiru had gotten everything she'd bought gift-wrapped at the mall, so there wasn't much to do on that front besides loiter outside the library with her phone a few times to check the tracking number on the shipped ones and make sure that they got to her family (they did). She never actually went _in_ the library, though. Sure, that meant that the connection was a bit spottier just outside the doors than it was inside them, but she could deal with that. What she couldn't do, though, was face Fakir yet. She'd save that for Christmas Day, and try to make things right between them with the gift she'd picked out for him. Sure, there was a good chance he'd reject it, but at least she'd have tried. That was worth something.

Eventually, though, all the time did pass, and before Ahiru knew it, it was Christmas Eve. Ahiru spent the day learning ballet, playing in the snow, and watching Christmas movies before retiring to bed, her mind abuzz with excitement for the next day. In fact, she was so excited that she considered telling the stranger in her bed “Merry Christmas” when they showed up. There was no point to that, though, especially since she knew they wouldn't answer, so she just rolled over and tried to go to sleep.

When she woke up, it was to nothing short of a perfect day. It was snowing gently outside, just like something out of one of the cheesy movies she'd watched yesterday, and it looked beautiful. Ahiru happily watched it for a while before dragging herself away to the bathroom to shower and get ready for the day. She kind of wished she had an ugly oversized Christmas sweater to put on, but she didn't. Oh well. It wasn't like Raetsel could've have anticipated the human love of ugly Christmas sweaters when she'd gone shopping. Ahiru shrugged and finished dressing, and then went out to her room to ring the bell to summon Raetsel, though not without grabbing the little wrapped box with her present inside it first.

“Good morning, Ahiru,” Raetsel greeted her as she appeared. “And a happy Yuletide to you. The kitchen staff has—” She stopped as she spotted what Ahiru was holding. “Ah... can that be the gift you begged me to allow to go unseen that day at the store?”

“Yup!” Ahiru grinned. “Here!” She held the little box out to Raetsel. “For you!”

“Oh, Ahiru.” Raetsel sighed. “It isn't that I don't appreciate it, but as I told you that day, there is no need for it, kind as it is.”

“Yeah, there is!” Ahiru nodded at her. “Cause I really wanted to! That's reason enough. So take it, please?”

“Oh, you humans are so...” Raetsel trailed off, laughing, even as she took the box from Ahiru's hands. “I cannot agree with you, yet still I find much value in your kind gesture.”

That was as close as she was gonna get to a thank you from anyone here. And that was okay. “I hope you like it.”

“Gifts given with good intent are impossible to hate, I find.” Raetsel ripped off the paper and opened the box to find a pair of bronze hair sticks adorned with little flowers made of small amethysts. “Oh! This is lovely, Ahiru! Truly, I shall relish wearing these!”

“I'm glad!” Ahiru beamed at her. “I really wanted to get you something pretty that you'd have fun with, I'm so glad you like them!”

“Very much so.” Raetsel smiled. “Now then, are you ready for breakfast? The kitchen staff is preparing some special meals for today, and breakfast is no exception, so I hope you're hungry.”

“Starving!” Ahiru laughed. “That sounds great, yeah!”

“Then I shall return shortly with your food.” Raetsel curtsied, and vanished.

As promised, she soon came back, bearing a plate laden with holiday-appropriate pastries and coffee cakes, along with black tea laced with peppermint. Ahiru eagerly devoured them all, and then it was time to give out another gift. She grabbed the large box containing Freya's present, and made her way carefully downstairs and towards the greenhouse. It'd suck if she dropped and broke it, after all.

Freya was, appropriately enough, tending to some holly and poinsettias when she got there. There was also a big basket sitting nearby, laden with walnuts that she'd clearly just harvested; her face lit up when she saw Ahiru coming towards her. “Ahiru! Merry Yuletide!”

“Same to you.” Ahiru smiled and held up the box. “I got you a present!”

“What? Oh no, Ahiru, you shouldn't have.” Freya shook her head. “That is altogether too kind of you!”

“No way!” Ahiru shook her head. “Like I told Raetsel, I really wanted to—isn't that enough?”

“Well, I suppose...” Freya set down her gardening tools and took off her gloves before walking over to take the box. “And I admit that I have prepared a gift for you myself, so I am equally guilty...”

“Really?” Now it was Ahiru's turn to have her face light up with happiness. “That's so—that's really good of you, I'm—I appreciate it a lot!”

“Of course, of course. Now, let me see what this is...” Freya set the box down on a clear space on her worktable nearby, and set to unwrapping it. Inside the box was a lump swathed in a thick layer of tissue paper, which made her tilt her head a bit before continuing. At last, though, she uncovered a beautifully made lacquered pot designed for bonsai, with an intricate design of green and gold and white. “Oh! Oh my, Ahiru, this is breathtakingly lovely, I cannot possibly express the depth of my appreciation for such a gift...!”

“That's alright, I'm just glad you like it.” Ahiru shook her head and smiled. “I thought you might want something like that for a new bonsai, and the colors are so pretty, so I _had_ to get it.”

“Your judgment was correct.” Freya traced one of the swirls of gold with her fingertip. “No, more than correct, impeccable... and a bit eerie as well. For how could you have known that I intend to start cultivating a new one very soon?”

“Just a lucky coincidence, I guess.” Ahiru shrugged. “And a good one.”

“A very good one. And now I shall fetch your gift—wait here but a moment.” So saying, Freya turned and hurried towards the far wall, and disappeared through an all but hidden door that Ahiru would've sworn hadn't been there a moment ago. A minute or two ticked by, and then Freya reappeared, carrying a large, pale blue pot with a pattern of little yellow ducks on it. “Here you go—I know it is not much, particularly in comparison to your thoughtfulness, but I do hope you enjoy it.”

“I'm sure I will.” Ahiru carefully took the pot as it was pressed into her hands. It was filled with dirt, and, more importantly, a variety of brightly colored succulents, some of which Ahiru had never seen in human-run nurseries. “Oh! These are so pretty!”

“And low maintenance.” Freya laughed. “You have expressed more than once your enjoyment of plants while possessing an inability to care for them, and so I decided to take it upon myself to prepare this assortment for you. You will have to do little for them aside from _very_ occasional watering, and they are quite hardy, so this will allow you to keep some plants while also not worrying that you are going to slaughter them.”

“I dunno, I've killed some before, you're probably giving me too much credit here.” Ahiru gulped. “I don't want that to happen to these ones too...”

“Worry not, they have been touched by my magic.” Freya winked. “You will have to put in serious effort to end their lives.”

“If you say so.” Ahiru peered at the little plants. “I can keep this in my room, right?”

“Yes.” Freya nodded. “Put them somewhere where they can soak up plenty of sun, and water only when they truly need it, which will not be often, and will not be much.”

“Okay.” Ahiru ran her finger over a velvety blue one. “I really like the pot, too.”

“I thought you might!” Freya laughed. “You told me also of your love of ducks, so I found one that depicts them.”

“It's really great.” Ahiru adjusted it in her arms so that it would be more stable. “Oh yeah, and how do I know when they need water? And how much?”

“Well, as to that...”

Freya then went into an explanation of proper succulent care, even writing some of the basics down for Ahiru's future reference. Between one thing and another after that, Ahiru wound up spending the whole morning there, leaving only when she realized that she was really hungry for lunch. So, carefully balancing her new plants in her arms, and with the written instructions for their care tucked into her pocket, she headed back to her room.

It was still snowing outside when she got back, so there was no sun for the succulents to soak up, but she of course remembered which window got the most sun in the mornings, so she placed the pot on the floor under it and resolved to ask Raetsel for something to put it on later. Raetsel said that she'd bring a small table back with her when Ahiru was done eating lunch.

And she kept her promise—when Ahiru summoned her back to take care of her lunch dishes, Raetsel was carrying a small, decorative table designed for displaying nice things. She left it there and cleared the dishes away, and Ahiru set about arranging it just so.

She ended up taking longer than she needed to, not because she couldn't decide where to put it or how to center the plants on it, but because she knew that when she was done she'd have to face the music. Said music being Fakir, of course. True, she was aiming for a reconciliation (if that word could even apply to people who'd never liked each other to begin with), and she would come bearing gifts (well, _a_ gift), but it still held a certain amount of fear for her. After all, she had no idea if Fakir would even accept her gift, or her apology. If he rejected both she'd understand why and wouldn't hold it against him, but that didn't make the prospect of walking into that library and dealing with this any less scary. Especially given how long it'd been since she actually went inside said library, instead of just loitering outside with her phone to leech off the wifi. At this point it felt less like going into a beautiful glade of books, and more like walking into the Forbidden Forest.

It had to be done, though. And it had to be done today. Especially since she needed to use the wifi to Skype with her family. Sitting on the floor in the hall just wasn't an option. Ahiru sighed, slung the bag with her laptop in it over her shoulder, picked up Fakir's present, and headed back downstairs. Time to meet her possible doom.

Fakir was in the sitting area when she got there. He had his back to her, but she could see a feather duster in his hand as he bent over the table. She watched him for a moment, and then took a tiny step forward and spoke in a timid little voice. “Um... h-hey?”

“Hn?” Fakir straightened his posture and turned. Mild confusion turned to suspicion and narrowed eyes as he saw who'd talked to him. “Oh. _You_. What do you want?”

Courage. She wanted to have courage. “To—to apologize, and give you this...” Ahiru swallowed hard.

“To give me... what?” His gaze dropped to the box she was carrying, and he raised his eyebrows. “That's... a Yuletide present? For... me?”

“Yeah!” She felt a surge of pride in herself, for biting back the snotty, sarcastic response that would've popped out automatically just a few weeks ago. “You don't have to accept it, and if you say no I won't force it on you, but... please take it?” Ahiru held the box out to him. It was so heavy that her arms were starting to ache from having carried it all the way downstairs.

“... Fine.” Fakir cleared his throat, and began walking slowly towards her, his expression neutral. When he finally closed the short distance between them, he hesitated for a moment, his eyes on the gift, and then reached out to accept it. Their hands brushed as he took the box from her, giving Ahiru a slight jolt. What was that about? _Weird_. Fakir didn't seem to have felt anything, though, and merely eyed the box as if it was about to explode. “Am I supposed to open it here?” He tilted his head to one side.

“You—you don't have to, I mean, if you want to take it to your room or something I understand...” Where _was_ his room, now that she thought about it? Did he just live in some hidden chamber off the library, the way Freya had some kind of secret bedroom in the greenhouse? “P-people usually do open presents in front of the person who gave it to them, though, if they can, so that the giver can see their reactions...”

“Hmph.” Fakir turned and walked back to the sitting area, and sank into one of the chairs. Ahiru hurriedly followed, and sat down on the sofa across from him. Oh, it felt good to be back in this spot again! It was just as comfy as ever, and the library was as cozy and lovely-smelling as she remembered. It felt like _ages_ since she'd been here, and she hadn't realized till now just how much she'd missed it. “Let's see what this is...”

Ahiru gulped. “I—I hope it's okay...” She set her bag with the laptop down on the table, a little off to the side so it wouldn't be in the way of Fakir opening his gift.

“That remains to be seen.” Fakir looked about as excited as a small child presented with socks. He ripped the wrapping paper off with a speed that contradicted his expression, though, reducing it to mere shreds in his haste. If he noticed that he'd bent the lid of the box a little too, he didn't show it. Moving aside the tissue paper that obscured its contents came next, after said bent lid had been set aside, and then he paused, staring down at what was inside for a moment, an unreadable look on his face. He then lifted out one of the two objects inside, a beautifully made sculpture of a tree that glinted in the light. “...Bookends?”

“Y-yeah.” Ahiru nodded. “I—I thought—I mean—I know you like books and everything, a-and that you might collect bookends, or need some, and I wasn't sure what else to get, but I really wanted to get something useful to you that you might be interested in... sorry, sorry if it's not okay, I have the receipt so if you don't want them I can return them and get you a gift card or something...” She bowed her head.

“... No, it's fine.” The rustling of tissue paper caught her attention, and Ahiru looked up to see Fakir putting the bookend back with its partner. He set it down gently, careful that it didn't touch or scratch its twin, and then rearranged the tissue paper back over them with delicate, deliberate motions so as not to rip it. It reminded her of that time she'd seen him reshelving books; he'd been just as careful then. Up till now he'd used his hands to try and intimidate her, with all that finger-flexing crap, but when he let his guard down she could see how gentle he was capable of being. It made those big hands of his much less scary, and let her see how nice they actually were. Maybe the rest of him could be that way too? It was probably too early to hope, but she couldn't help it. “Now... you said something about an apology?”

“Y-yeah.” Ahiru took a deep breath. Here was the hard part. “I wanted... I wanted to say I'm sorry. For being unfair to you.” Her gaze dropped to the table again. “I didn't really consider your point of view and what _you_ wanted, I only thought about what _I_ thought was best, and I didn't really understand what you and everyone else has gone through. I mean, yeah, you were pretty rude to me, but I get it now, and it's not like you really had a reason to give me the benefit of the doubt, not after all those other girls were so terrible to you and everyone else. But instead of trying to meet you halfway, I just... expected you to assume the best of a total stranger when you'd already been so hurt, and that... that was really wrong of me.” Her voice shook. “I'm so sorry... I didn't want to be a jerk to you, I wanted to be better than all those others, but I really wasn't... and if you don't want to ever talk to me or see me again, if you'd rather I never came in the library ever again, I'll understand and accept it. Cause I really am sorry, not that you have to accept my apology or anything, I just... I want you to know that I'm so sorry.”

There was a long silence, long enough that it started to be awkward. Then Fakir spoke. “... Alright.”

“Huh?” Ahiru looked up at him. He didn't look angry or disdainful or anything, so that was a start, but... “What?”

“You heard me.”

“Y-yeah, I did, but... I'm sorry, I just don't understand what you meant by it.” Ahiru shook her head. “Could—could you explain? Please?”

“What, have you had too much eggnog already?” There was a ghost of a smirk on his face, but somehow it didn't seem mean-spirited. “Fine. I've accepted your apology, and forgiven you for your behavior. Got it now?”

“Wh-what? Really?” Ahiru's eyes flew wide. “I—but—I—thank you!” The words burst out of her before she even realized she was saying them, and she froze for a second, before remembering that they wouldn't have the same problem with Fakir as they would with the fae in the palace. “I mean, I mean, I know you didn't have to, but... that's so generous of you, I...”

“Hmph. It still doesn't mean we're friends or anything.” Fakir folded his arms and leaned back in his chair. “Don't get too excited.”

“I—I know that... but still...” Ahiru blinked back tears. “I just... I really wanted to make it right with you, cause I feel so bad, not just because of how much of a brat I was, but because of how all those other girls treated you, and Mytho, and Freya, and Raetsel... it's not right, none of you deserve that...”

“Brilliant deduction there.” Something flickered in his eyes, though, that despite her inability to decipher it nevertheless belied his sarcastic words. “And anyway it's not your responsibility to apologize for them or anything like that.”

“Maybe not _technically_ , since their actions are their own and I didn't have anything to do with them and I'll never even know them, but...” Ahiru bit her lip. “They're human too, y'know? Just like me. So if I wanna do better than they did, I gotta start by not acting like I don't have the same privileges and shit that they do. Something like that, anyway.”

“I suppose.” Fakir shrugged. “So, that's your aim now, then? To be better than them?”

“I... well, I guess you could put it that way, but it sounds kinda...” Ahiru made a face. “I don't want to do it just to feel better about myself and be all superior, but so that I treat everyone around me well and don't hurt anyone.”

“A noble goal.” Fakir smoothed some of the tissue paper down over the bookends, ironing out a wrinkle with his fingers.

Ahiru frowned. “Are you making fun of me?”

Something passed over his face, something she couldn't quite read. “...No. I actually think...” He paused, and shook his head slightly. “It doesn't matter what I think.”

“What? Yes, it does!” Ahiru leaned forward. “I mean, if you don't wanna tell me, that's okay, I understand, but...but what you think...it matters to _me!_ ” As much as she’d tried not to let it. “It does!”

“Hmph. Fine.” He brushed some of his hair away from his eyes. “I was just going to say that I think it's a nice thing to strive for. I don't know if you'll be able to reach it, mind you, but it's still a nice ideal.”

“Well, no one ever really knows if they'll do something before they try for it,” Ahiru said. “But that doesn't mean we shouldn't try anyway and do our best.”

“Point.” He said it so grudgingly that Ahiru almost wanted to laugh. She didn't, though, instead biting the inside of her cheek to keep it in. “So, you just want to be nicer than those girls were? Is that it?”

“Most of it.” Ahiru nodded.

“And what would the rest of it be?” There was a slight edge to his voice. “Staying on here? Marrying Mytho?”

“I'm... that is...” Ahiru dropped her gaze again, and swallowed. “I know this'll sound really bad, but... I'm considering it, okay? That's really all I can promise.”

“Tch. You don't owe me any promises.” She could practically hear the eyeroll in his tone, without having to look up at him. “And you don't have to marry him if you don't want to. I just got annoyed cause you were beating around the bush, it felt like.”

“I kinda was. Sorry.” Ahiru winced. “It's just... it's a really awkward situation, you know? Especially cause he didn't tell me about it upfront from the start. Which reminds me—I hope you didn't get in trouble for letting that stuff slip to me? Freya said something about you all being 'forbidden' to tell me, so I've been kinda worried...”

“I... no.” Fakir looked down and away, at the floor next to the table. “I didn't get in trouble. He was... disappointed, but he didn't punish me.” His shoulders drooped, and he seemed to sigh. “No need to worry.”

“Oh. Okay. Well... I'm glad you didn't get in trouble, at least.” Ahiru looked down too. “But anyway, yeah, him not telling me makes it even more awkward and weird than it already is.”

“... Yeah. I get that.” Ahiru almost jumped off the sofa in surprise, at hearing something so reasonable from _Fakir_. “He had his reasons, but...”

“But it's still kinda hinky. Yeah.” Ahiru nodded. “Like, I get him being wary and all that after all those other girls, even if he _is_ more sure of me than he was of them—his words, not mine—but still. Marriage is a big deal, you know?”

She looked up to see him nod slowly. “Yeah. And marriage between humans and fae is an even bigger deal.”

“Exactly.” Ahiru twisted at the hem of her sweater. “Like, I'm not against the idea at all, but lots of other people are, and he's a _prince_ , so he'd be making political enemies, and I'm not sure if I can stand to put him in danger like that...”

Something flickered in Fakir's eyes again. “You care for him, then?”

“... That's something I'm not sure of either,” Ahiru admitted, feeling her face heat up. “I mean, okay, don't get me wrong, I really do like him, I love talking to him every night at dinner, and he's so kind, and we've done fun stuff together like going ice-skating, but... I just dunno if I even _can_ have those kinds of feelings for him.”

“Because he's fae?” Fakir seemed to sigh.

“Because he's a _bear!_ ” Ahiru's face felt even hotter. “Like, I've been on the internet, I know that... that people who are into animals a-and animal characters is... kind of a thing...” Oh God, she _really_ did not want to discuss the concept of furries with _Fakir_... “But it's really not _my_ thing, you know? Maybe that’s close-minded of me, but I just don't know if I can really get past that. And I mean, come on—you're not gonna go off and marry a—a duck or something, are you?”

“Yeah, all right, fair enough.” Fakir shrugged. “Although he's not alwa—” He stopped. “... Never mind.”

The weight of the unfinished sentence fell on Ahiru like a ton of bricks, and for a moment all she could do was gape at him. Apparently Fakir _wasn't_ done dropping bombshells on her. Would he ever be? What else didn't she know that he was keeping from her? It boggled her mind just how little she still knew about everything. “What?” she managed after a long minute of stunned silence. “He's... he's not always... not always _what?_ What were you gonna say?”

“I didn't say anything.” Fakir pressed his lips together. “Just ignore me.”

“No way! I can't ignore you, cause you were totally about to say something!” Ahiru leaned forward again, and tried to do her best impression of the conspiratorial tone Pike and Lilie always used when they gossiped. “C'mon, tell me! What is Mytho not always? A bear? Is he not always a bear? What is he the rest of the time?”

“I said nothing.” Fakir shook his head. “Let it go.”

“Uh-uh! You don't get to slither out of this! You said—”

“Nothing. I said _nothing_.” Fakir's eyes narrowed. “ _Drop it_.”

“But I—”

“So is that it, then?” Fakir interrupted her. “Are you going to tell him no and leave, because you can't imagine marrying a bear?”

“I...” Ahiru paused. Part of her wanted to keep prodding him, because he clearly _had_ been starting to say something about Mytho not always being something, but it was obvious that he'd clammed up and wasn't going to answer any of her questions. She restrained a sigh. Fine. “Well, I mean... yeah, it's weird and all that, but maybe I _can_ get past that? I don't know until I try, like we talked about already. And maybe there's a way around... around... stuff?” She blushed again. “There's... there's technologies for... and anyway he didn't talk about love or anything, so maybe it's just a political marriage, or it would be, anyway...”

“Maybe.” Fakir seemed to have gone a little red too, at her allusions to interspecies relations. So, even he could get embarrassed sometimes? That was _really_ good to know. “And if it isn't? If you're supposed to be in love with someone not even of your own species? Will you still try then?”

“Yes.” She said it without hesitation, and nodded. “I have to at least try, even if I fail... and I really don't _want_ to fail, y'know? Cause I don't want to let anyone down. Not my family, not all of you, and especially not Mytho. I want... I want to see him happy.” Her voice dropped on that last word. “His eyes are always so sad, and I want to see him really smile. I don't want to do anything to make him unhappy, not if I can help it.”

“Hmph.” Fakir shrugged again. “Excuse me for still being a cynical bastard, but I can't just up and believe in your words just like _that._ ”

“No, I get it, that's fair, just...” Ahiru sighed. “Is there anything I can do to get you to trust me? Like, how long do I have to stay here before you'll believe me?” She paused. “Hey, how long _did_ all the others stay?”

“I don't—that is, I stopped really counting after—” Fakir furrowed his brow as he tried to think. There was a long pause, and then he nodded. “... Spring,” he said at last. “Stay till spring. That'd be longer than any of them. Stay till spring, and I might start believing in you.”

“Okay.” Ahiru nodded. “Spring. So... do you want me to swear on it? In blood or something?”

“No. To the blood thing, anyway.” Fakir wrinkled his nose. “Just swearing on it verbally will do.”

“Alright! Then... I, Ahiru, hereby swear that I shall stay until the changing of the seasons from winter into spring, at the very least.” She giggled. “Did that sound formal and fancy enough?”

Fakir rolled his eyes, even as he laughed. It wasn't the same derisive laugh she'd heard from him the day of their argument, though—this one was clearly genuine. It was quieter, with a rich, warm depth to it that made her feel like she'd gulped down some good cocoa. “Yeah. It's fine.”

“Good! So, let's seal it!” She scooted forward and held out her hand to him. “Here!”

He eyed her hand warily. “Didn't I just say no blood?”

“No, no, I'm not telling you to prick my finger or anything! Just shake my hand!” She wiggled her fingers at him. “Come on!”

“... Fine.” Fakir rolled his eyes again, and then took her hand in his and briefly shook it. The jolt went through her again, and it was hard not to notice the size difference in their hands too. His actual handshake distracted her, though—he shook hands like someone who'd only read about the gesture in books and didn't know how you actually achieved the “firm handshake” a guy was supposed to have according to society. Well, that made sense, if bowing and curtseying were more common among fae, and he'd lived for most of his life in an environment where he barely interacted with humans, after all. “Done. Sealed. You'll be here till spring, and at that point I'll start believing you.”

“Yup!” Ahiru leaned back against the sofa and beamed at him. “You just watch! I'll be here till spring, and even beyond that! You'll eat your words then!”

“Yeah, we'll see.” Fakir rose, and picked up the box, discarded wrapping paper, and his feather duster. “Anyway, enough chattering—I need to get back to work.”

“Okay, I gotta contact my family now anyway.” Ahiru reached into her bag for her laptop. “See you around.”

“Whatever.” Fakir started to walk away, but then stopped. “Oh... Ahiru?”

“Oh?” She looked up to see that he'd turned back. “What is it?”

“... Thanks.” He held up the box with the bookends, his face starting to turn red. “For this, and for... thank you.” His blush deepened, and he didn't meet her eyes.

“Oh!” Ahiru's eyes widened a little. “Y-you're welcome! I—I really am glad you liked it!”

“It'll do.” It was the epitome of the phrase 'damning with faint praise'. But it had no sting to it, because something completely bizarre and unexpected was happening at the same time, that Ahiru had to stop herself from fainting in abject shock at.

Fakir _smiled_.

It wasn't a big one, by any means, just a tiny hint of one that curved his lips ever so slightly upwards. But it was still undeniably a genuine smile, and Ahiru could barely believe she was seeing it. “I... w-well, that's—that's good enough for me!”

“Heh.” The smile lingered for a second more, accompanied by a small laugh, and then Fakir ended the moment by turning his back and walking away.

It took Ahiru what felt like several minutes to recover from the fact that he'd knowingly and consciously chosen to smile at her, staring in wide-eyed and open-mouthed stunned silence at the direction he'd disappeared to. Then she shook herself out of it and turned on her laptop, loading up Skype once she'd logged on. To her relief, it didn't need to update itself again, so she was able to sign on with no delay, and texted her dad to let him know she was online now and ready to chat with everyone.

Before too long, she was looking at the slightly blurred faces of her whole family as they gathered around to talk to her. “Ahiru~! My dear, dear, tragically absent sister!” Lilie cooed. “How fare you this Christmas Day?”

“I'm good.” Ahiru smiled. “How are all of you?”

“Wonderful, though it'd be far better with you here.” Lilie sighed, and then leaned closer to the screen. “Especially since this surely _must_ be the day of reckoning for you! You've escaped being devoured for this long, but it's _got_ to happen tonight—a mid-winter sacrifice to the pagan gods, to ensure that spring comes as scheduled! Oh! How unspeakably _tragic!_ ” She flung the back of her hand against her forehead.

“Lilie, that was a _human_ tradition.” Ahiru rolled her eyes. “And they always sacrificed stuff like boars, anyway, if I remember correctly.”

“But who's to say that fairies don't have their own savage customs, that still continue on to this day?” Lilie's eyes were wide, and probably sparkling with unshed tears. “You never know, they—”

“That's enough, Lilie.” Paulamoni laid her hand on Lilie's shoulder and gently pulled her back. “I understand why you're worried for your sister's safety, I am too, but none of us needs to hear that kind of talk, okay?”

“Fine,” Lilie sniffed. “But don't expect me not to say 'I told you so' when tragedy strikes, because I am _not_ above saying it!”

“We know. There's a ton of stuff you're not above.” Now it was Pike's turn to roll her eyes. Lilie gasped.

“The _nerve!_ The shocking, unmitigated ner—”

“Anyway, it's good to see you're still safe, and that Professor Trelawney over here is still full of it.” Pike's laugh at her own joke turned into a snort as Lilie made an indignant noise in the background. “Don't get me wrong, I've still got doubts too, but hey, at least you seem to be getting treated well. More importantly, though, thanks for the gift!”

“Oh, you like it?” Ahiru's eyes lit up. She'd gotten Pike a WiiU with Mario Kart installed. “I'm glad!”

“You kidding? I love it!” Pike let out a laugh that was more of a cackle. “I'm gonna wipe the floor with Lilie's ass, if only you could watch!”

“Ha! You _wish!_ ”

“Good, good.” Ahiru smiled. “It was kinda hard to shop for you all, you know? Cause I know what stuff you like, but not all of what you've already bought yourself.”

“Well, honestly, there hasn't been that much shopping, even on Lilie's part. Cause nobody, not even her, wanted extra stuff to move.” Pike shrugged. “And then we've been unpacking and doing stuff, and we've bought _some_ stuff since then, but mostly we've been busy with moving and holiday prep and other shit.”

“That makes sense.” Ahiru nodded.

“Which, speaking of—don't you go thinking that we've forgotten about getting presents for _you!_ ” Pike waggled a finger at her. “There's lots of stuff here, but... well, y'know, no address to send it to. So you'll just have to come visit and pick it up.”

Visiting. Right. Ahiru's stomach dropped a little. Mytho had said she could, but he also seemed so adamant about her staying here, and she didn't want to break her word to Fakir... so that'd be more complicated than she would've liked. More than she could really explain. “W-well, I'll have to try to do that soon!” She plastered a fake smile on her face, hoping that the fuzzy images worked both ways and would prevent anyone from catching on.

“That's good.” Malen moved into view, gently edging Pike aside a little, and she smiled back. “I really miss you, Ahiru—we all do.”

A lump rose in Ahiru's throat. “Yeah... I miss you all too.”

“You're doing well aside from that, though?” Malen tucked some of her hair behind her ear. Last Ahiru had heard, her treatments from the fae clinic were working well, and she still looked better than she had in years, so that gave her hope. “Everyone's still nice to you? And you're having fun?”

“Yeah!” Ahiru nodded. “I—I really like all the people here, especially Mytho, and I'm having _so_ much fun. I told you I'm taking ballet, right?”

“Yes.” Malen nodded. “I'm so happy for you! I know you always wanted to do that when you were little, I'm so glad you're getting the chance to do it now.”

“Me too, it's been so amazing! And what about you? The treatments still working well?”

“Yeah, they are.” Malen cast what seemed to be a nervous glance over her shoulder at their mother, but Paulamoni didn't react that Ahiru could see. “I'm doing _so_ much better, thank you Ahiru... if this keeps up, I might even be able to start thinking about living on my own.”

“Oh! That's so wonderful!” Ahiru clapped her hands together. “That's really, really great news!”

“I thought you'd like that.” Malen grinned. “And you know what _I_ really like? The paints and brushes you got me. They're fantastic, I can't wait to try them out!”

“Oh, good!” Ahiru's smile widened. “I'm so glad, I'm so glad.”

“Of course. You always know what to get.”

Ahiru blushed. “Well, I try...”

“And you succeeded this time, for sure.” Paulo leaned into view. “Your mother and I love our gifts too, believe me—isn't that right?” He turned his head to look at Paulamoni.

“Yes, we do.” Paulamoni smiled. “Thank you, Ahiru.”

“You're welcome!” She almost said she wished she could've been there with them to open the gifts, but swallowed that statement down. At _best_ it could only make things extremely awkward. “I'm really glad you all like them, and that everything got there on time!”

“Yes... the service you used seems to be surprisingly reliable.” Something changed in Paulamoni's tone, and Ahiru tried not to wince. Oh. Of course her mother would be a bit weird about their gifts being delivered by a fae-run business. _Of course_. “It was hard to wait, but we managed it. And yeah, like Pike said, you'll have to drop by and get your gifts sometime.”

“I will! I promise!” She avoided saying when, though—somehow that seemed to make it okay, less likely to be a statement she could let them down with. “S-so, anyway, any hints on what you got me?”

That earned laughter from everyone, and more or less changed the subject. Just enough that she could steer it around to something else, eventually, allowing for a less awkward conversation. Ahiru was still a little tense and nervous when they finally hung up about an hour and a half later, but relaxed a little once she no longer had to tiptoe around things with her family. She loved them, she really did, and she honestly missed them, but some things had been forever changed by her agreeing to this situation with Mytho, and she wasn't sure if they could ever go back to normal. Actually, no, they probably never would, not to the normal they had before he'd showed up in their backyard. Especially if she did decide to marry him. Shit, if her mom reacted that way to fae delivering her presents, what would she do if her daughter getting hitched to one? She couldn't begin to imagine, and didn't want to. Not right now, anyway.

Ahiru spent a while longer in the library after that, just relaxing and picking out some new books to read. It'd been way too long since she'd gotten the chance to do that, and it was really nice to be back. She didn't see Fakir again while she was there, but that was okay. At least they'd patched things up, and maybe they could get along better from here on out. Sure, Fakir was still Fakir, and, like Raetsel said, there was no getting around that, but she seemed to have softened him up a little with that gift and the apology. It probably wasn't a good idea to get her hopes up, but she was gonna stubbornly cling to them anyway. If he was willing, even grudgingly, to give _her_ a second chance, than she was more than open to giving him one too.

Evening fell soon enough, though, and with a tinge of mild regret Ahiru gathered up her stuff and left the library. She'd enjoyed being there again, but now it was time to get ready for dinner. Oh well, she was hungry anyway, and excited about seeing Mytho and giving him her present. Her feelings on—and _for_ —him were still complicated and hard to untangle, but she didn't want to focus on that mess right now. She just wanted to enjoy Christmas evening with him.

She picked a beautiful green velvet gown, arranged her hair into a waterfall braid, and rushed downstairs with her gift for Mytho clutched in her arms. He wasn't there when she got there, but she hadn't expected him to be, so that was fine. Ahiru put his present down on the chair beside hers and proceeded to dig into the lavish holiday feast that had been laid out for her. There was even a tantalizing-looking Yule log waiting to be eaten when she'd polished off the main course, and she couldn't wait to get to it.

Mytho showed up when she was just about finished with her first slice of the Yule log and contemplating a second one. “Good evening, Ahiru. And are you enjoying this splendid Yuletide?”

“Oh! Mytho! Hi!” Ahiru barely restrained herself from bouncing in her seat, and instead grabbed a napkin so she could wipe any chocolate off her face. “Yes, I am! How about you?”

“I fare well. Particularly now that I am here with you.” He settled himself into his usual spot as Ahiru blushed. “I see you have taken well to the food provided—and how did the rest of this day treat you?”

“Really, really good!” Ahiru put her napkin down, satisfied that she'd cleaned herself off properly. “I gave out all my presents, and I got to talk to my family, which was really nice.”

“I am glad.” Something in his eyes seem to dim, to sadden. “Family is... such a joy and a comfort, at its best, and never more so than on this day.”

“Y-yeah.” Ahiru swallowed, remembering Raetsel's cryptic words on the subject of Mytho's parents. “A-anyway, though, speaking of presents...” She reached over and grabbed the wrapped box, and held it out towards him. “I got you one too, of course!”

“Ah?” Mytho's eyes widened. “I... appreciate the gesture, but it was not necessary...”

“Yeah, yeah, everyone keeps saying that.” Ahiru rolled her eyes and laughed. “I just _wanted_ to, okay?”

“Fair enough. And I confess that I procured one for you, as well.” Mytho reached into the bag she only now noticed was hanging around his neck, and pulled out a small black box, which he placed on the table beside her.

“I—oh!” Ahiru stared at it, feeling a bit stunned. “O-okay... a-and here, you open yours too!” She set the larger box on the table in front of him, where a plate would've gone if he ever actually ate with her.

“If it is all right, I would prefer to wait till after you have opened yours.”

“Oh, okay... that's fine...” Ahiru picked up the small box and, after taking a moment to breathe deeply, opened it up. It was a good thing she'd taken that breath, for when she opened the box up, she gasped. Inside was a gorgeous necklace—simple, but beautiful, a thin black cord adorned with an orange gem overlaid with a yellow jewel carved into the shape of a lady's profile, in a lovely gold setting. “Oh wow... Mytho... this, this is...”

“Do you like it?” There was a bit of an anxious note to his voice. “I had hoped you would...”

“I love it!” Ahiru gave him a watery smile through the happy tears filling her eyes. “Oh, Mytho, I—well, I want to say something but I can't, but you know what I mean, I just...”

“Yes, I do.” He seemed to relax. “On _this_ your feelings are clear. Never worry.”

“On...this?” She tilted her head. “What do you mean by that?”

“Forgive me—I allude only to your yet to be made decision about a matter we have recently discussed.” He lowered his head slightly. “I have no knowledge of what you truly think of me in other regards. But I am content to wait, and will not rush you to come to a conclusion.”

“Ah... right...” Ahiru felt herself blushing again. “Um, anyway... h-how about you open up your present now? I—I know it's nothing compared to what you got me, but I hope you like it...”

“I have no doubt that I will.” Mytho looked down at the box, raised one paw, and then hesitated. “Ah... Ahiru, I believe I must beg your assistance, for I fear that I might not be able to accomplish this task without damaging your precious gift...”

“Of course, of course!” Ahiru set the necklace back in the box, and got up so that she could stand near Mytho, within range of the present. She ripped the wrapping paper off, and then lifted the lid of the box. “H-here it is... what do you think?”

Mytho bent his head to peer at it. “Is it... a blanket?”

“Yeah!” Ahiru nodded. She lifted it out a little, so that he could better see the swans embroidered into the rich fabric. “I had a hard time deciding what to get for you, cause I just didn't know what you'd like, but then I saw this... the swan design seemed so perfect, and I thought, you know, maybe you could use something to keep warm with... is it okay?”

“It is wonderful, Ahiru.” Mytho nodded, and the look in his eyes grew warmer. “I shall treasure it, nearly as much as I treasure your presence here.”

“Ah...! W-well, that's—that's really good, I—I'm so glad!” Why was she blushing so much? She just must be unused to people complimenting her, that was all. Plus there was the whole matter of... well, of _everything_ about this strange situation. Some of which was really fresh on her mind after her conversation with Fakir earlier. “Like I said, I wasn't sure at first what to get you, so I'm glad I ended up buying something you like!”

“Very much so.” Mytho paused. “May I ask you a favor, Ahiru? Two, in fact?”

“Uh, sure. Yeah.” Ahiru nodded. “What do you need?”

“Less a matter of need than of want, at least in one case.” Mytho shifted slightly. “The first, is that you wear the gem I have given you to dinner tomorrow.”

“Oh, totally!” Ahiru nodded again, more enthusiastically this time. “I'll wear it every night if you want!”

“... I cannot deny that that would be pleasing to me.” Mytho chuckled. “But you do not have to feel obligated to it.”

“I don't, trust me.” Ahiru clasped her hands together. “It's so beautiful, I really do love it.”

“Then I shall enjoy seeing it on you as often as you choose to wear it.” He smiled. “As for the second... I wish to retire to my bed now, but not without your gift. Will you drape it around my shoulders, that I may easily carry it there, and feel the warmth of both it and your kindness as I do?”

“O-oh! Of—of course!” Blushing. Again. Ahiru tried not to groan at herself, even as she picked up the blanket and draped it over Mytho's shoulders. It was a pretty big blanket, not quite enough to completely cover him, but he seemed to like it, so that was okay. And he had fur, anyway. “There!”

“Much obliged.” Mytho smiled again. “And now I shall bid you goodnight, Ahiru... goodnight, and happy Yuletide.”

“Y-yeah, goodnight, and happy Yuletide to you too!” Ahiru called after him as he left. Once he was gone, she took up the box with her new necklace in it, and all but skipped up to her room to try it on and then read one of her new library books.

She still had a lot to think about before she could decide on anything. More to think about, really, given the intriguing thing she'd almost learned from Fakir earlier. And so many complicated feelings to sort out. It was almost too overwhelming. But Mytho was willing to give her plenty of time and patience, and that was good enough for now.

 


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Beta-read by [letters_of_stars](http://archiveofourown.org/users/letters_of_stars/pseuds/letters_of_stars).

Ahiru cringed as the library door opened with a loud creak, instinctively freezing in place as if that would make the noise go away. Holdover from her years back home, of course—creaky hinges had often gone unoiled for various reasons, making it a real pain to try to sneak around the house at night.  
  
But she wasn’t at that house anymore. And, since her family had already moved, she would never call that place in Lakeshore Village her home again. Ahiru took a deep breath, trying to both relax and ignore the small pang that went through her at that remembrance. Obviously she'd known that already, and had known it for a while now, ever since she first learned her parents had found a new and better place to live, but now it felt like the full reality was hitting her for the first time. Not just the knowledge that she'd never set foot in her childhood home again, but that she hadn't gotten to see it again one more time before her parents left. Stupid thing to feel sad about, maybe, according to some people at least. Her mom had said she didn't ‘get attached to houses’ and she was glad to be out of there, and Ahiru supposed she had a point, but for her it was more complicated. Sure, it wasn't that big of a house, and the landlords had left something to be desired at times. But all the same… _it was her childhood home_. She'd grown up there, made so many memories there. When she visited her family, it'd be at an alien place that so far only existed for her in pictures.  
  
Her trip home. Right. That’s where all this started. Ahiru took another deep breath, and started walking through the library. Despite her initial reaction to the creak of the door, she kind of hoped it would draw the attention of Fakir, the surly librarian. Well, maybe not so surly anymore? He'd definitely thawed over the past few weeks, ever since Christmas and her apology to him, and she didn't dread seeing him anymore. In fact, that was why she was here. To see Fakir, and tell him she was leaving. Just to see her family, of course. Not forever. And she knew she didn't need his permission to go.  
  
Didn't make her any less nervous, though. Neither did the fact that _technically_ the trip was still theoretical at this point because she hadn't asked Mytho yet. He'd say yes, of course, given that he'd promised she'd be able to visit them, so she wasn't worried about that. No, it was Fakir's reaction she was worried about. Would he think she was breaking her word to him about staying until spring? Even humans took that kind of thing seriously, maybe not as seriously as fae did, but still really seriously. Plus, Fakir had spent most of his life around fae, so he would've absorbed habits from them. Come to think of it, did Fakir ever visit home? What did he parents think of him spending all his time with fae? She didn't have the courage to ask, but she couldn't help but wonder.  
  
Either way, the noise of the door opening didn't seem to have gotten his attention. Fakir didn't emerge from anywhere as she wandered through the stacks looking for him, and the further she got the less likely it seemed that it would've been as loud for him as it had been for her. That strangely helped her calm down a little—despite that she wanted to hurry up and find him and get this tough conversation over with, creaks like that still freaked her out a little, reminding her of times when she'd been terrified that she'd woken up Malen just when her sister had finally fallen asleep. Ahiru took a deep breath and told herself that it was okay, it wasn't the middle of the night and she hadn't woken anyone up. It'd be fine. And she'd get through discussing her hypothetical trip with Fakir just fine too.  
  
Her search eventually ended at the back of the library, where she'd rarely gone. To her surprise, he wasn't shelving books or dusting, but sitting at the old roll-top desk he'd retrieved the wifi password from, back when she'd first moved in. There were two neatly organized stacks of paper in front of him; one looked to be blank sheets, and the other had writing all over it. A third sheet rested in the middle, and Fakir was deep in concentration as he wrote on it. So deep, in fact, that he didn't seem to have realized she was standing there.  
  
As she watched, he stopped writing, and frowned down in frustration at the paper. Several seconds ticked by, turning into a minute, and Ahiru all but held her breath. Much as she wanted to talk to him, it didn't seem like a good time to interrupt, so she hung back, standing between two bookshelves. The look on his face slowly changed, as he seemed to have the seed of an idea and began to think hard on it. He tapped the end of his pen against his cheek, and then stuck it in his mouth as his brow furrowed in deep concentration once more, making Ahiru clap a hand over her own mouth so she wouldn't make any noise. That was—oh man, who said he was allowed to be so cute? Sure, she'd definitely seen softer sides of him, but she hadn't been prepared for him to actually be adorable like this. It wasn't fair at all.  
  
The moment didn't last long, though—just as Fakir began writing again, Ahiru took her hand off her mouth, and reached up to scratch her head. That was a mistake. She hadn't realized until then just how close she was standing to the one bookshelf, and her elbow banged loudly against the wood. And just in case that noise wasn't loud enough to disturb Fakir, she instinctively let out a yelp of pain. The soft sound of his pen moving across the paper stopped, and as Ahiru rubbed her sore elbow he turned to look right at her, his thick eyebrows drawing together in a vaguely annoyed expression. “Oh. It's you.”  
  
There wasn't any hostility in his tone, though; he wasn't _happy_ to be interrupted in the middle of whatever he was doing, but it seemed like more of a generic annoyance that would've been directed towards anyone, instead of the disdain he'd treated her with before. Ahiru took that as a good sign, and plastered a nervous little smile on her face as she walked forward. “Yeah. It's me. Hi. Sorry to barge in.”  
  
“Hmph.” Fakir shrugged. “Whatever. This is my workplace, I should expect it.”  
  
“I guess, but still.” She quickened her pace, and peered at the papers stacked there. “Can I ask what you're doing?”  
  
“No.” Fakir deliberately laid a blank sheet atop the one he'd half-filled with writing.  
  
“Aw, come on, that's no fun!” Ahiru leaned over to try to get a glimpse of the ones on the other side of the desk. Fakir grabbed them and flipped them upside down. “Meanie!”  
  
“I'm cut to the quick,” he said dryly as he began to put things away. “Where'd you learn that one? Third grade?”  
  
“Whatever.” Ahiru rolled her eyes. “Excuse _me_ for taking an interest in your life.”  
  
Fakir's hands stilled, the stack of papers hovering for a moment over the desk drawer he'd just opened. “My life's not that interesting.”  
  
“It is to me!” Ahiru frowned at him. “I mean, okay, if you don't want to share things, that's fine, but I just... I thought, I thought that maybe...”  
  
“That maybe what?” Fakir prodded her, still holding the papers over the open drawer.  
  
“That maybe... we were kinda starting to be friends?” Ahiru wrung her hands as she looked away, at the wall, her face reddening. “I know you said my apology didn't mean we were friends, but you've been nicer to me ever since, so I started to think... but if I'm wrong and you still don't wanna be friends with me, just tell me and I'll back off...”  
  
“No, I...” Fakir finally set the papers down in the drawer, but didn't close it. He stared down silently at them for a long moment before speaking again. “I don't... that is...” He rubbed his forehead as he tried to think of what to say. “... Look. There's still the matter of you staying at least till spring. I can't fully trust you till then, and I'm not gonna pretend I do. At the same time, though, you're... well, so far you're not as bad as I thought when we first met.”  
  
“Thanks… I think?” Ahiru let out a small laugh. Of course she wouldn't have let herself say that to anyone else here, but with Fakir it was fine.  
  
“I'm not done.” He reached into the drawer and straightened the stack of papers. “The thing is... it's not so bad to be able to talk to someone about books.” Ahiru glanced over to see that his face had gone a little red too. “But...” Fakir cleared his throat, and shut the drawer before turning to look at her. “I just—well, I'll be blunt. Why do you still want to be friends with me, anyway, even after how things started out? Just cause we're both human?”  
  
“No, not anymore.” Ahiru shook her head. “I mean, yeah, that was why at first, you know that cause I told you. But now it's way more about... well, about having someone to talk books with! Like, don't get me wrong, I have fun with Freya, but she doesn't really read, so I can't talk about that with her. With you, though, I can, and we've read some of the same books, so we have that in common. It's nice, the few times we've done that. And as for how things were at first, I already told you at Christmas, I understand why and I don't blame you.” She tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. “I wanna just... start fresh, if we can, and put that behind us. If you're okay with it, that is.”  
  
“I...” Fakir's gaze dropped again, and he stared down at the top of the desk. She couldn't really read his expression, but he seemed to be fighting some kind of internal battle. Finally, he nodded slowly. “... Alright. We'll try to be friends. If you're sure you actually want that.”  
  
“Really?” Ahiru's face lit up, and her heart gave a little flutter. “You mean it?”  
  
“I said it, didn't I?” He raised an eyebrow, and gave her one of those sardonic looks she was getting used to. “Don't annoy me into changing my mind.”  
  
“Fine, fine!” Ahiru stuck her tongue out at him, and he let out another one of those soft, genuine laughs she'd heard only a few times. “Cause I really do want that, you know!”  
  
“So you say. Now.” Fakir opened another drawer and stuck the blank sheets into it. “You might change your mind later.”  
  
“No way!” Ahiru shook her head, and then inched forward, closer to the edge of the desk. “Soooooo... since we're friends now... do I get to know what you were doing when I walked in?”  
  
“Stubborn, aren't you?” Fakir let his breath out in an exaggerated way. “Am I right in guessing that I'm not gonna get any peace until I give in and tell you?”  
  
“I, um... no.” Ahiru shook her head again, and took a few steps backwards. “Sorry, I just... I mean, I really am interested, but if you don't wanna tell me, it'd be wrong of me to push you... sorry for being a jerk again.”  
  
“Not a jerk. Just a nosy brat.” He said it without any malice, though, and stared down at the desk again as he thought, turning his pen over and over between his fingers in an unhurried movement that Ahiru couldn't help but watch. At last he sighed, and then cleared his throat. “... Fine. I'll tell you. I... write things. As a hobby, I guess you'd call it.”  
  
“Write... things?” Ahiru cocked her head to the side. “Like what? Stories?”  
  
“Yes.” Fakir gave a small nod. He was still playing with the pen. “Stories. About various things, before you ask, since I know you will.”  
  
“That saves me the trouble, then!” Ahiru grinned at him. “But seriously, though, that's really cool!”  
  
Fakir's eyes narrowed. “Are you making fun of me?”  
  
“What? No way!” Ahiru shook her head, her eyes wide. “Honestly! I really do think that's cool! I've never had any talent for creative stuff, so I've always been jealous of people who can do that. Like, my sister's an artist, she draws such amazing things, I wish I could show you... and you write stories? That's awesome!”  
  
“I...” Fakir looked down again, at where a blank sheet of paper still covered one he'd written on. “I guess...”  
  
“It _totally_ is!” Ahiru took a tentative step forward. “Don't sell yourself short, okay? I'm not a writer or anything, like I said, but I know it's hard work, harder than a lot of people give it credit for, so you should be proud of yourself. How long have you been doing it?”  
  
“...Pretty much all my life.” Fakir lifted up the blank sheet of paper and frowned when he saw that there were traces of ink on it, from having laid it over his fresh writing too soon. “Books... stories... both reading and writing... they've always been interests of mine. It's why I wanted to be the librarian here.”  
  
“And you got to be! You got to fulfill your dream! That's amazing.” Ahiru tried to ignore the pang of envy that sprang to life in her heart. “Not... not everyone gets to do that. And, and I bet, since you've been writing for so long, that you're really good at it now, cause you've gotten tons of practice.”  
  
“Maybe.” Fakir shrugged, and crumpled up the ink-stained paper. “I don't know.”  
  
“Weeeelllll... I know one way to find out...” Ahiru leaned closer to him, and lowered her voice into a conspiratorial tone. “I could read something you wrote, and tell you what I think...if you're open to that, that is.”  
  
“No.” Fakir flipped the half-filled sheet of paper over. “Sorry, but I'm just not comfortable with that right now.”  
  
“Fair enough.” Ahiru shrugged and moved back. “The offer's open if you ever are comfortable with it, though.”  
  
“I'll keep that in mind.” Fakir raised an eyebrow at her. “Now, was there a point to this little interruption?”  
  
“Oh! Right!” Ahiru's face burned with embarrassment. “I, uh, well... yeah, I did come in here for a reason, I wanted to... there's something I'm thinking of doing and I wanted to run it by you before I actually do it...”  
  
Fakir's eyebrow went up a little higher. “You don't need my permission about anything, unless it involves the library. And even then you could probably go over my head to Mytho.”  
  
“No, I would never do that. And it's not about the library, anyway.” Ahiru clasped her hands together in an effort to keep from wringing them and showing how nervous she was about this. “I wanna...that is...okay, like, I know I promised you I'd stay till spring, and I'm still gonna do that! I'm not saying I'm going back on that!” she said hastily, as Fakir's expression began to darken. “I just...wanna go see my family. Just for like, a day or something. Mytho's said I could before, but it'd have to be a very brief visit, and I'm okay with that. I just...I wanna see them.” Her shoulders slumped. “I get to Skype them, and that's good, but I wanna see them in person. They've had Christmas presents waiting for me, and I wanna be able to open them right there, so they can see my reactions, and just... just see them.” She gave Fakir a pleading look. “You've gotta understand, right? Don't you ever want to see your parents?”  
  
“...Yeah.” Something in his eyes flickered. “I do.”  
  
“Then you get it!” Ahiru sighed, relief flooding through her. “So...you're not mad at me for wanting to take a short trip to see them, then? You're not gonna see it as me breaking my word to you?”  
  
“No.” Fakir shook his head. “If it's just a brief visit and Mytho's fine with it, then it's fine with me. As long as you don't break your word to him, then you haven't broken your word to me.” He paused. “Wait...you haven't even asked him yet?”  
  
“Um... no?” Ahiru gulped. “It's—it's not that I'm gonna just go ahead and do it without permission, just...I'm not worried about getting his permission, like I said before he's already said that I could make brief visits to them, so I know if I ask he'll say yes, it's just...I wanted to come see you and make sure it'd be fine with you, cause of me swearing to stay till spring and all, before I start planning anything.”  
  
“... I see.” Fakir looked away again, down at the desk, then back at her. “Well... that's fine with me. Go ahead and go visit your family, if you miss them that much then you deserve to. Just...be careful, alright?”  
  
“Careful?” Ahiru frowned. “What do you mean, careful? What would I have to be careful about?”  
  
“The things you say to them. Who you talk to.” He tapped his pen against the desk. “Who's the most unhappy about you doing this? Don't speak with them alone.”  
  
“Well... that'd definitely be my mom, but...” Ahiru's frown deepened. “What's the big deal if I talk to her alone? What are you getting at?”  
  
“I'm not—I just—” Fakir pinched the bridge of his nose with his free hand. “I just want to warn you, is all, alright?”  
  
“Warn me about what?” Ahiru folded her arms across her chest. “Spit it out!”  
  
“There's nothing to 'spit out'.” Fakir rubbed his temple. “I just don't want you to make any—to do anything you'll regret.”  
  
“But how would I regret talking to my mother alone?” Ahiru wanted to stomp her foot on the ground but resisted the temptation. “That doesn't make any _sense!_ ”  
  
“Just don't, alright?” He tapped the pen more rapidly against the desk. “Promise me you won't.”  
  
“Pro—what? What the hell?” Ahiru gaped at him. “Are you for fucking real? Promise you that I won't talk to _my own mother_ alone? You've gotta be kidding me! Who do you think you _are?_ ”  
  
“I'm—” The pen stilled for a second in his hands, his expression changing too quickly to read it. “I'm—I'm asking as a friend, alright?” he said finally. “Please, just—just be careful and don't let her get you alone. Please.”  
  
“But _why?_ ” Now she did stomp her foot. “Fakir, come on, you can't just ask me to promise to not speak to my mom alone and then not explain why!”  
  
“But I can't—I—” His eyes darted around the room, and he looked at everything but her. “Look, I—the thing is—well, you said she's the one who's 'definitely' the most opposed to you being here, right? Don't you think she'd try to talk you out of coming back? To try to get you to stay?”  
  
“Honestly? She probably will. But I'm prepared for that.” Ahiru sighed. “I've been dealing with her all my life—well, okay, maybe that's not the nicest way to put it, but the point is...I know what she'll try to do, and I can kinda predict what she's gonna say when I'm there...but I'll be fine. Really. I can practice what to say back, and I really am determined to keep my word to you and stay till spring at least, so you don't have to worry.”  
  
“Really? I don't?” Now he looked her in the eye, his gaze piercing. “Even though you just talked about how much you miss them? You don't think there's a danger of your mom getting at that and convincing you to do something regrettable in a moment of weakness brought on by being around them again for the first time in months?”  
  
“No, I don't!” Ahiru shook her head. “I mean, I know it's gonna be emotional for me and all, but I've given my word! To you and Mytho both! I'm not gonna break it just cause I get to visit them.”  
  
“You say that now, but...” Fakir shook his head back at her. “You haven't actually gone back there yet. You don't know how you're going to react to it all, what you could be talked into doing. It's gonna be different once you're there, and I'm telling you, just be careful and don't let anyone get you alone, especially your mother.”  
  
“You—what happened to me not needing your permission for anything not related to the library?” Ahiru's eyes narrowed. “Cause I don't. I can talk to whoever I want, alone if I want to, and there's nothing you can do about it. You don't have the right to even _try_ to do anything about it.”  
  
Fakir's jaw clenched, and he tapped the pen on the desk faster and harder than ever. “You really are a stubborn brat, aren't you?”  
  
“Yeah, I guess I am.” Ahiru rolled her eyes. “And _you're_ a bossy jerk.”  
  
“Guilty as charged.” He rubbed the back of his neck and some of the fight seemed to go out of him. His voice was much more hesitant when he asked, “Sure you want to be friends with me after all?”  
  
“I...” Ahiru paused, feeling like she'd been punched in the stomach. “Fakir, I... I'm not saying that—I just—I just want you to not do this, okay? If you're worried about me breaking my promises, then just say so, and I'll do what I can to reassure you, but you can't be trying to order me around. Being friends doesn't work like that.”

“I...” Fakir held her gaze for a minute, looking like there was something he really wanted to say, and then he glanced away, staring down at the desk again, laying the pen down on the smooth wood. “...You're right. I just... sorry. You're right. I _am_ worried.”  
  
“I figured.” Ahiru sighed. “And I don't know if there's anything I can say to reassure you, and I can't make the promises you're asking me to, cause that's just not fair to me. But I swear I'll come back, okay? Everything's gonna be fine.”  
  
He scratched the back of his head, right above his ponytail. “I hope you're right.”  
  
“I know I am.” She hesitated, and then reached out to lay her hand on his shoulder. “I promise, okay? I'm gonna go home for a brief visit, and come back here, and everything'll be okay. Try not to worry so much, alright?”  
  
“Easier said than done, but fine. I'll try.” Fakir took a breath and let it out. “Now, is that all? I'd like to get back to my work.”  
  
It was tempting to joke that technically he was slacking off on the job by sitting and writing stories, but Ahiru swallowed it down. “Yeah, I'll leave you to it.” She took her hand off his shoulder and backed away. “Sorry to take up so much of your time.”  
  
“It's fine, just...” He gave her a piercing, searching look. “Be careful, alright?”  
  
“I will.” How she restrained herself from rolling her eyes or making a face she didn't know, but she was proud of herself anyway. “See you around—at the very least, I'll make sure to say bye before I go on my trip.”  
  
“Alright.” He gazed at her for a second with an unreadable expression in his dark green eyes, then turned back to the desk as she headed off.  
  
Once she was out of the library, Ahiru took a deep breath and let it out. Whew. That had gone... well, she honestly couldn't say if it'd been better or worse than she'd expected. She'd been nervous about him taking the news of a planned visit badly, sure, but she hadn't thought he'd have that exact reaction, with the bizarre insistence on her not talking to her mom alone. And yeah, okay, she could kinda see where he was coming from, but still, he'd gotten pretty weird about it.  
  
Oh well, nothing she could do about it now. At least she'd calmed him down enough that he mostly backed off. Hopefully he wouldn't start in again the next time she saw him, or when she went to say bye before leaving. She could worry about that later, though. Right now she had to focus on coming up with how to actually ask Mytho to go on her trip. Wasn't gonna happen without his permission, after all.  
  
She spent the rest of the afternoon just thinking and rehearsing, pacing around her room and saying things out loud that she thought might work as ways to bring it up, to get across how much she wanted this without making it sound like she wanted to go back there to stay. That was important: that he didn't think she was considering leaving permanently. She just wanted a quick visit to see them and get her presents.  
  
Which was true. However uncertain she still was about the marriage thing, she did know for sure that she definitely wasn't ready to leave. As much as she missed her family still, she also honestly loved it here. Whether or not she was comfortable calling it her home yet was up in the air, but it was a wonderful place to live either way. It was beautiful, comfy, had an amazing library and greenhouse, plus places to explore on the grounds and in the valley. That was one of the benefits to sticking to her promise to Fakir about staying till spring: she'd get to see the outdoor gardens and the orchards in full bloom, and everything would be green again, and ducks would return to the lake. Ducks! Real ducks! That seemed like a good enough reason to stay that long, if nothing else.  
  
There were definitely more serious ones, though, all kidding aside. The marriage thing... yeah. That was a toughie. If anything, her feelings on Mytho had only gotten _more_ muddled over the past few weeks. Maybe he'd been motivated by what she'd said about not having dated someone before, but he'd started spending time with her during the day a bit more often lately. They'd gone skating a couple more times, and he'd taken her on a ride around the grounds, complete with tour guide-like info dumps on various features of the palace. It was fun, sure, but if she let herself think about the fact that they were probably dates, it made her nervous and jumpy. Not in a really bad way, but nervous all the same. And yet... also... strangely warm inside? It was weird, and she didn't know how to explain it. Maybe it was just happiness that he'd taken her life and her needs into consideration and had decided to try doing things her way? She still didn't feel like they really knew each other that deeply, but he was trying. That counted for something. It was also surreal in its way, to pause and realize that she was being courted. (What an old-fashioned word! But he was fae, so it fit.) How did she feel about it? That too was an uncertainty. Not a bad one, but then, that just made it _more_ complicated. Somehow, having fun being courted by a fae bear just made it harder to untangle how she felt about the entire situation in general, and what to ultimately do about it.  
  
For the immediate future, though, she could afford to focus on something else. Ahiru forced her mind off questions of dating and marriage and went back to rehearsing her upcoming conversation with Mytho about a possible family visit. By the time she had to go down for dinner, she felt more or less prepared to ask him. Ahiru seated herself and started eating alone, as usual, and right on time Mytho ambled through the doors to the dining room. “Good evening, Ahiru. How do you fare this evening?”  
  
“Pretty good, actually.” Ahiru smoothed her napkin where it rested on her lap. “How 'bout you?”  
  
“I am as well as ever. Your care is always appreciated.” He settled himself at his spot, and peered at her nearly-empty plate. “A fine meal as always, I take it?”  
  
“Yeah, I'm never disappointed with what they make.” Ahiru took one last bite of dessert and ate it. “Do you... get to eat the kitchen's cooking too? Sorry if that's rude, I just... I don't think I've ever asked you that and you don't eat in front of me and I was kinda curious if you ever got to taste it.”  
  
“I have on occasion, yes.” Mytho dipped his head low in a nod. “Do not fear being rude. As I have said to you before, ask what you wish, and I will answer to the best of my ability.”  
  
“Yeah, about that...” Ahiru set her fork down. “I, uh, actually wanted to ask you something important tonight...”  
  
“Oh?” Mytho cocked his head to the side. “Speak freely, Ahiru—what is it you would like to know?”  
  
“Well, it's more of a request for something than asking for information, though I guess it's technically that too... but anyway...” Ahiru took a deep breath to steady herself, and then let it out. “You-you said I could visit my family, right? Well, I was wondering if I might be able to do that soon...we didn't get to spend Christmas—or Yule, to you guys here—together, and I wanted to be able to open the presents they got me, and see them, cause it's been so long...just a short visit would be really nice, I don't want to stay there, just...you know, see them for a little while. Would that be okay?”  
  
“Ah, yes.” Mytho nodded. “A visit home to your family. I see. To be more truthful, Ahiru, I had been wondering when you were going to ask for such a boon. After the holidays passed, I was surprised that you had not requested it sooner. Or, indeed, that you did not want to spend that day with them.”  
  
“It's not that I didn't wanna spend the day with them, cause that would've been great,” Ahiru admitted. “I just... thought it would be better to be here this first Christmas—Yule—whatever, and anyway I wanted to give some people here gifts, that was really important to me.” Warmth sparked to life inside her as she thought back to giving everyone their gifts. She didn't know where Fakir was keeping the bookends, but he'd assured her a couple weeks ago that they were being used, and that was good enough for her. And every time she went to the greenhouse, she got to see the pot she'd given Freya, now displayed in a place of honor with a beautiful new plum bonsai in it. Last but certainly not least, Mytho had not just told her that he was using the blanket she'd given him, but she'd actually seen him use it just a few days ago, when they'd come in from ice skating and curled up in front of the fire with some cocoa. Of the three gifts she'd given here, that one had unquestionably made her the happiest. Really, that'd always been the best part of giving gifts for her: seeing people enjoy their presents. It was why being able to buy whatever she wanted was such a joy now, she could afford to spoil everyone the way she'd always wanted to. “And really, I really do just want to make it a quick visit, I know you want me here, and I want to be here too, I'm not at all thinking of leaving forever or anything, I just want some in-person time with them soon. Please?”  
  
“Ahiru, you need not beg me.” Mytho shook his head. “Your request is reasonable, and it sets my heart at ease to know that you understand that it must be a brief visit, and indeed that you do not seek to make it a permanent return.”  
  
“Not at all.” Ahiru toyed with one corner of her napkin. “I'm...still deciding on what you asked me. The marriage thing. I'm thinking about it, and I still don't have an answer yet. Sorry.”  
  
“It is fine.” Mytho shifted, so that he was reclining on the floor. “You need not rush yourself towards any conclusion, I understand that it is a decision of enormous gravity. As to more immediate matters...” He scratched behind one ear. “How soon do you wish this visit to be?”  
  
“Um... I dunno.” Ahiru shrugged. “What works for you?”  
  
“I am not concerned with what 'works' for me, as I am capable of making the journey at any time. This is your visit.” Amusement glinted in his eyes. “What is most suitable for you? And your family?”  
  
“Well, for them, I just gotta give them a couple days' notice.” Ahiru swung her feet back and forth under the table, producing a soft swishing sound from the gown she'd chosen. “None of them are working anymore cause of the money you gave 'em, after all, so I just need to let them know when I'll be there. As for me, well...how long can I stay? Just so I know how much I need to pack.”  
  
“Ah, correct, how remiss of me to neglect that information.” Mytho cleared his throat. It sounded kinda like the rumbling of distant thunder. “One day and one night are all I can allow you at a time, I am afraid. Is this acceptable to you?”  
  
What did it matter if it was acceptable? Clearly it was all she was gonna get whether she liked it or not. Ahiru swallowed down that answer and nodded. “Yeah, that's fine.” It was a little bit shorter than she'd wanted or expected, but hey, she could have other visits, and at least there was Skype and texting and stuff in the meantime. It wasn't like in one of the old stories, where she'd need a magic mirror or some shit to not be cut off entirely. “So... maybe in a few days? I can tell them tomorrow that I'm coming by soon and for how long, and then pack some stuff and all?”  
  
“Yes, that sounds agreeable.” Mytho nodded. “Early in the morning four days hence we shall depart for your family's new home, where you shall spend a day and a night in their company, at the end of which time I shall bring you back here. Will that please you?”  
  
“Yeah, a lot!” Ahiru sagged a little out of pure relief. “Th—I mean—that is—I appreciate it! A lot!” She beamed at him. “And I promise I'm not staying there, I won't break my word to you! I know how important that is.”  
  
“I know that you do.” Mytho rose. “Very well, then. Since that is settled, I shall depart for the night, and see you on the morrow. Sleep well, Ahiru.”  
  
“Yeah, you too!” Ahiru waved at him as he left, excitement already starting to rush through her at how well that'd gone. Only a few more days, and then she'd see her family again! She couldn't wait.  
  
***  
  
Ahiru spent most of the next few days preparing for her trip. She still kept up with daily activities like her ballet lessons, but mostly she got ready to leave. There was a five-piece luggage set already stowed in her walk-in closet, no doubt supplied by Raetsel at Mytho's request in anticipation of Ahiru wanting to make visits to see her family. Sure, she wouldn't need all of it just for a one-night trip, but it sure made it easy. Maybe eventually, if she married Mytho, she'd be free to take longer trips wherever she wanted. That was a nice thought.  
  
Between one thing and another, the time passed quickly. Packing, though something she still wasn't used to, was a lot easier this time. She ran around taking pictures on her phone, too, to show everybody. Well, mostly her dad and Malen. Though it wouldn't hurt to show everyone else just to prove to Lilie that she wasn't locked in a dank dungeon full of rats, being fed stale bread and dirty water. And of course she also wanted to spend time with Freya before she left, and see Fakir too. To her relief, he didn't start in on her again when she went to say goodbye to him, maybe because he didn't think there was much risk to be had from as short a visit as it was gonna be. He'd brought up her promise to stay till spring, of course, but she'd reassured him again that she was gonna keep it and was taking it as seriously as he did. That seemed to have set his mind at ease, at least partly. Well, that was fine, he probably couldn't help worrying about it at this point. She was just glad to have been spared another argument.  
  
Before Ahiru knew it, the alarm on her phone was going off to let her know that it was time to get up and get ready and go see her family. She kinda hoped that the light from it would let her finally get a glimpse of the stranger in her bed, but no such luck—they were already gone. Oh well. She shrugged and went about her morning routine in a hurry. Honestly, by now she was pretty used to them being there, and it bothered her less and less every night. Just one of the ‘warts’ Mytho had said this place had. Could be worse.  
  
Mytho was waiting for her in the front hall when she got there, with a saddle-like contraption attached to his back. “Ah, a good morning to you, Ahiru. Are you ready to depart?”  
  
“Yeah, I'm ready.” Ahiru walked closer to him. “What's that thing you're wearing? Is that some kind of saddle?”  
  
“A pack saddle,” he corrected her. “It is for transporting your luggage. I thought that it might be useful, and wish I had had such foresight for your benefit when first I took you from your family's home.” He let out a rueful laugh. “Do you think you will be able to secure it without assistance?”  
  
“Uh, well, I've never used this kind of thing before, but I'll give it a shot.” Ahiru shrugged. “If I can't get it, we can ask someone.”  
  
Where he'd gotten a pack saddle big enough to fit him was a mystery—Ahiru didn't know anything about them, but it was probably okay to assume that they were normally used for horses—but she didn't question it. Instead, she loaded her suitcase onto the saddle, and tried her best to get it secure. Whatever the proper method was, it eluded her, so they called in one of the palace Brownies to show her how to knot the cords. Once that was done, they left at last.  
  
When Mytho had brought her to the palace, it'd been at night, under starlit skies. Today was more overcast, but there was enough of the sun peeking out that she could more clearly see everything. Which included just how terrifying the mountains were—without an aurora to distract her this time, Ahiru shut her eyes until they were into the forest just past the peaks. They traveled over much of the same terrain, it felt like, just in reverse. Not all of it was immediately familiar to Ahiru, but then, she'd only made the trip once, and nighttime had a way of distorting things. It was a little bit surreal to see it all in daylight, but fun too. The sky got brighter as they went on, and the places she'd seen back in autumn were now cloaked in winter, drifts of snow piled up beside the road, morning dew on the grass having been turned to frost by the chilly air and sparkling in the sun.  
  
It was only in the last stretch that things became really unfamiliar. Since her parents had moved to a different suburb north of where she'd grown up, Mytho needed to take different roads at the end to get to their house. The new town, Artolia, looked similar enough to Twin Pines that it didn't feel all that weird to pass through, but it was still strange and almost unsettling, in a way—a part of her was screaming that this wasn't the way home, Mytho had taken a wrong turn. Ahiru didn't say anything, though, but just quietly sighed and focused her attention on taking in the sights. In general Artolia seemed to be much more affluent than Twin Pines, so while it had many of the same retail and restaurant chains, there were also more upscale places that she'd never seen before or even heard of. Which probably meant, Ahiru realized with an uncomfortable clench in her stomach, that it had a smaller fae population, with only those who worked in the clinics able to afford housing there. Anyone who worked for some other kind of business would have to commute. Naturally, that would've been appealing to Paulamoni. Paulo probably felt differently, but maybe it was a compromise to keep peace in their marriage. Either way, she wasn't gonna ask. At least her dad seemed to have stayed firm on the iron windchime issue, for the front porch anyway. Pretty much every other house they passed in the gated community her parents now lived in had them, though. Not surprising—neighborhoods full of rich people also tended to be full of conservative jackholes. Good thing Mytho's magic prevented him from being seen by anyone with too much money and not enough hobbies who might be peering out their windows.  
  
Soon enough, though, Mytho had come to a stop in front of a mansion at the end of a cul-de-sac. Her family had sent her pictures before, so she didn't really gape at it the way she would've otherwise, and besides which, she was distracted by what happened when she climbed down from Mytho's back. She remembered it all too well now that it was pressing down on her again: the sensation of time having been distorted, leaving her disoriented and confused. Hell, what was the actual time? It felt like it was around the same time here as it had been at the palace when they left. They _had_ to have crossed timezones. Ahiru was sure of it.  
  
Undoing the knots that secured her suitcase to Mytho's pack saddle was a little less complicated than it had been to get them in place. She managed on her own, though, and within a few minutes the suitcase was on the driveway beside her. Ahiru looked down at it, then at the house, and finally back at Mytho. “Well... see you tomorrow, then?”  
  
“Indeed.” Mytho nodded. “I will return in the morning to take you home. And Ahiru, I also...” He looked down, and pawed at the ground. “I must urge you to exercise caution during your time here—do not allow their words to unduly influence you.”  
  
“Influence me to what?” Ahiru frowned. This sounded unpleasantly like what Fakir had been going on about last week. “What are you talking about?”  
  
“Well, I mean to say... I do recall that they were not entirely in favor of our agreement.” Mytho shifted slightly. “They may attempt to convince you to—to take actions that—”  
  
“Mytho, I'm not gonna be tempted to stay here,” Ahiru interrupted, feeling irritation surge up within her that she tried to shove down. First Fakir, now Mytho? How little did they think of her commitment to keeping her word? “I gave you my word, okay? I'm still thinking about—about the marriage thing, and I haven't decided yet, and I said I'd stay till I did, at least, I'm not gonna break our agreement. There's no danger of that.”  
  
“I...” Something in Mytho's eyes flickered, and then he shook his head. “No, forgive me, I do not mean to place your trustworthiness in question, I am simply...”  
  
“No, I get it, it's okay.” Ahiru let her breath out. “You had so many bad experiences with the others that it's hard to fully trust again, right? I understand. But I promise you, I'm not gonna up and decide to abandon you. This is just for one night, and then I'll be back.” She laid her hand on his head. “I _promise_.”  
  
“Then I must take you at your word, and try not to fret during the hours we are apart.” Mytho moved his head, but only so he could nuzzle Ahiru's hand with his nose. “Farewell for now, Ahiru—may your visit be as pleasant and lovely as you are.”  
  
“It—I mean—I'm sure it will be!” Ahiru stammered, feeling a blush coming on. “S-see you tomorrow, Mytho! Bye!”  
  
She waved to him as he loped away down the street, watching until he disappeared around the corner. Then, taking a deep breath and steeling herself, Ahiru picked up her suitcase and walked up the driveway to the massive front door, where she rang the bell and waited with a racing heart for someone to open it.  
  
She didn't have to wait long. The bell hadn't even stopped chiming before the sound of feet racing towards the door came from inside, plus two very familiar voices shouting at each other. They were probably shoving at each other too, and the winner was revealed when the door got yanked open. “Ahiru~! My darling sister, home from the lair of the beast!” Lilie exclaimed, just before she flung herself onto Ahiru, nearly knocking her onto the ground. “You must be so relieved to be safe again, in your family's loving embrace!”  
  
“I... I...” Ahiru's arms flailed about as she struggled to breathe. One thing that hadn't changed was how crushingly tight Lilie's hugs were. “Lil...ie, I...I can't...”  
  
“Safe? More like strangled! Honestly!” Pike grabbed Lilie around her waist and pried her off Ahiru. “When are you gonna learn to let people _breathe_ when you hug them?”  
  
“I can't help it if I'm overwhelmed with emotion at seeing Ahiru again!” Lilie gave out a big, fake sniffle. “How cold you are!”  
  
“ _Normal_ is what I am,” Pike retorted. She rolled her eyes as Lilie glared at her, then turned her attention to Ahiru. “Hey. Welcome back.”  
  
“Thanks.” Ahiru couldn't help but smile back at Pike. “It's just for tonight, but...I'm really glad to get to see you all.” She peered past the two into the house. “Where's everyone else?”  
  
“On their way to greet you, probably—we just made it here first.” Pike picked up the suitcase, over Ahiru's protests, and ushered her and Lilie inside. “You eat yet?”  
  
“Yeah, I had breakfast before I left.” Ahiru stopped just inside the foyer, staring up at the ceiling. “Oh, wow...”  
  
“Nice, huh?” Pike followed Ahiru's gaze up to the massive crystal chandelier hanging above their heads. “When we moved in, there was a smaller one there, but Mom wanted to replace it with a huge one like out of a movie. Like, she actually said that.” She laughed. “Makes sense, I guess, she's always been into those period pieces and stuff.”  
  
“Yeah...” Ahiru tore her eyes away from the chandelier so she could look around at everything else. It looked like...well, it was like an exaggerated version of the kind of interior Pike was talking about. They were heading down a long hallway with white stone floors, with an embroidered red rug down the center that frankly bordered on being gaudy. There were statues all along the walls too, meant to look like ancient Greek or Roman ones, and some mirrors with overly ornate frames. Money had given Paulamoni the means to decorate the way she wanted to, but it hadn't bought her the ability to make it look as elegant as she probably wanted it to be. There was a line between “fancy” and “ostentatious”, and what she was seeing was just over it. Still, if it made her mother happy, who cared? This was her home, one she finally owned, she ought to be able to decorate it however she wanted.  
  
Something about that thought made Ahiru almost falter in her steps, but she kept going down the long hallway, following Pike and Lilie, who were chattering about how Ahiru needed to have the grand tour and see everything, it just wasn't the same in photos. At least the two were capable of agreeing on _some_ things, every once in awhile. Then they emerged in a huge, wide-open area, that had been effectively split into a living space with gigantic white leather sofas and chairs (that she recognized from Skype sessions) gathered around an entertainment center (with an even bigger flat-screen TV than Ahiru had back at Mytho's palace), and an equally huge kitchen with what looked like miles of counter space and an island almost as big as Ahiru's bed. Her mother was loading stuff into a dishwasher while her father cleaned the stove, and Malen was seated on a tall barstool at the counter. Malen spotted Ahiru first, and before Ahiru could even say anything she leapt down and ran over to her. “Ahiru!”  
  
“Malen!” Ahiru threw her arms around her sister as they reached each other, hugging her tightly. Tears filled her eyes. When was the last time she'd seen Malen running? She couldn't remember. And those photos and Skype chats hadn't done justice to how much healthier she really looked. If there was anything that could hammer home the true importance of her arrangement with Mytho it was this. Malen was _thriving_ , and that was worth everything. “I—I'm so glad to see you...”  
  
“Me too.” Malen wiped at her eyes from under her glasses as they pulled apart to look at each other. “You look great, Ahiru.”  
  
“Not as great as you!” Ahiru sniffled. “I—I don't mean that in a bad way against myself, just...” She gestured with her hand towards Malen. “You look so much better, like the treatments are really helping you! I'm so glad, you don't even know...”  
  
“I have an idea.” Ahiru turned to see Paulamoni coming towards her, an odd half-smile on her face. Behind her, Paulo was still drying his hands. “I had my doubts about that stuff, as I'm sure you know, but the results... I can't argue with that.”  
  
“Oh?” Ahiru raised an eyebrow and grinned. “Does that mean you've come around about my situation now?”  
  
“I wouldn't go _that_ far. But enough about that.” Paulamoni laughed, and then drew Ahiru into a hug. “You're home now, that's all that matters.”  
  
“I'm here for tonight,” Ahiru corrected her, even as she returned the hug. “It's not permanent.”  
  
“Shush, don't rain on my parade.” Paulamoni pulled back, so she could give Ahiru a more thorough once-over. “At least you seem to be doing well, they're not starving you or anything. And you've been exercising too, you've said?”  
  
“Yeah, for ballet!” Ahiru nodded. “I'm stronger and in better shape now, I think!”  
  
“Manual labor for the amusement of the court! How dreadful!” Lilie wailed. “Don't put on any suspicious shoes, or you may be forced to dance till your doom! Oh, but to be made to perform and work on a diet of gruel and hardtack...”  
  
“Lilie, I've _told_ you, that's _not_ what I eat.” Ahiru rolled her eyes. “There's a castle chef with a whole team, I've met them, they—”  
  
“They disguise it! With their wicked fairy magic!” Lilie clasped her hands beneath her chin and let out a loud whimper. “And you've no idea what foul fare you're actually ingesting!”  
  
“Lilie, I have _pictures_ —”  
  
“And good ones, too.” Paulo tossed a damp hand towel onto the counter. “I've enjoyed everything you've sent me, you know.”  
  
“I'm glad!” Feeling her eyes prick with fresh tears, Ahiru moved around her mother and hugged her father. She'd sent everyone pictures, of course, but her father and Malen had gotten the most of them. After all, she hadn't forgotten what her dad had said the night she'd left, about wishing to see the place himself. “I wanted you all to see where I'm living, so you know how nice it is and why I like it there.”  
  
“You're happy then?” Paulo asked. “Really happy, not just saying so when we talk to you when you're there? Y'know, when someone else might hear you.”  
  
“Yes!” Ahiru pulled back and nodded. “I love it there, I really do! I've missed you all, don't get me wrong, just... you don't have to worry that I've been secretly miserable or anything. I'm _happy_.”  
  
“Good.” Paulo smiled. “Last thing I want is for you to regret your choice, you know?”  
  
“I don't.” Ahiru glanced briefly at Malen. “Not at all.”  
  
“Can we get sappy later?” Pike interjected. “I wanna give her the grand tour, and she's gotta put her stuff away too.”  
  
“Yeah, where I am staying, anyway?” Ahiru asked as she took her suitcase from Pike. “Do you have a room set up for me or something?”  
  
“Well, there's two guest rooms, and they're both ready to go, so it's your choice which one you wanna be in.” Pike shrugged. “All the things you left behind, they're in storage in the attic if you want anything. Except for your bed, we got rid of that cause it was old and small and we didn't need it anymore.”  
  
“Oh... okay.” She understood the logic, and that bed had seriously needed a new mattress, but it was still a little sad to think about. “Which way to the guest rooms?”  
  
“All in good time!” Pike turned to look at her, grinning. “Gotta show you everything, you know!”  
  
And they did. It was a six bedroom house, so it definitely wasn't small, but it wasn't as huge as Mytho's palace, so Ahiru didn't find herself getting quite as overwhelmed as she had when she'd first moved in with him. The layout was a little odd, though; turned out it'd been custom-built by some rich dude who'd eventually gotten tired of the climate here and wanted to move to southern California. “And I mean, I don't really mind,” Paulamoni said with a shrug as they walked around a massive, mostly empty room. “It's nice, and there's stuff I really like. But you know, we have the money now to make any renovations we want, or to eventually sell and get our own custom home. And I've been able to put my own stamp on this place already, so that's good. That was something I really didn't want: one of those pre-furnished homes.”  
  
“Your mom's already thinking of replacing some of the appliances it came with,” Paulo said with a bit of a laugh. “And we're going to look at countertops next week.”  
  
“You know I've never liked black granite.” Paulamoni wrinkled her nose. “And quartz will increase the value more anyway.” She turned to Malen. “These are the kinds of things you need to know and think about when you get a place of your own. I can help you house-hunt, you know.”  
  
“Thanks, Mom, but I really don't need all that.” Malen took her glasses off, looking for something that had apparently gotten on the lenses. “I'm just gonna get a cute little apartment in the city, I've told you that.”  
  
“Yes, I remember. And I still don't get it.” Paulamoni tsked. “Why throw your money away on rent when you can afford a nice house, with a yard? You don't get a yard in an apartment.”  
  
“Exactly.” Malen put her glasses back on and laughed. “Not everyone's like you, Mom. I _hate_ yardwork. I just wanna stay in and draw and not worry about that. And think of the rent as paying for upgrades and repairs and _finding_ people to do that shit, to be someone else's problem. That's worth it to me.”  
  
“But it won't really be _your_ space.” Paulamoni sighed. “All those rules and restrictions on what you can and can't do to it...I couldn't ever do that again.”  
  
“I know, Mom.” Malen's voice had that overly patient tone to it, like they'd had this argument before and Malen was sick of hearing it. “But I can still put my stamp on it with decorating, and my art. It's gonna work for me, trust me.”  
  
“Whatever you say.” Paulamoni shook her head, and led them back out of the room and towards the stairs to the second floor.  
  
“Meanwhile, _I'm_ going to have a fabulous castle worthy of a princess!” Lilie trilled. “I'm going to get a custom place, with turrets and towers and everything! Secret passages too!”  
  
“And a dungeon?” Ahiru couldn't resist asking, despite that she wasn't really in a joking mood anymore. Her stomach felt a little knotted up and an anxious, unhappy feeling had settled in her chest, but she didn't know why.  
  
“Of course!” Lilie turned her head to give Ahiru a conspiratorial look over her shoulder. “I have to have somewhere for Pike to stay when she visits, after all!”  
  
“Fuck that, I'll get a hotel room,” Pike retorted. Behind Ahiru, Malen burst into giggles, and despite her mood drop Ahiru couldn't help but laugh too. “No way am I staying in the Horror House.”  
  
“It'll be a royal palace, not a horror house! How dare you!” Lilie pouted. “And you're no _fun!_ ”  
  
“Yeah, being threatened with imprisonment tends to suck that out of a person.” Pike rolled her eyes. “As for me, I dunno exactly what I want yet. I've been looking, but nothing's really grabbed me. Maybe I'll try to come up with something custom too. Could be fun.”  
  
“Yeah, it sounds like it.” Ahiru tried to smile. “Good luck with that!”  
  
Next up was a tour of the bedrooms. It was surreal, to say the least, simply because Ahiru had grown up with everyone sharing a bedroom with someone else. Her parents still shared the master—which was a relief, honestly, since it meant that they were on good enough terms that they still wanted that even when there was room for them to have separate bedrooms—but her sisters all had their own rooms. Pretty cushy rooms, too. Not as big as Ahiru's palace bedroom, of course, but much bigger than the ones at the Lakeshore Village townhome. Lilie had gone full-on dramatic and girly, of course, with a brand-new canopied bed and antique-style furniture. Pike's style was more sleek and modern, and she had her own big TV and video game systems in there, as well as band posters and sports memorabilia. Ahiru felt a pang looking at it. Back in high school, Pike had desperately wanted to join the school soccer team, but there'd been no money to spare for uniforms and whatnot. Malen's room, meanwhile, was a hodgepodge of things, though all of them suited her, and the space was mostly dominated by her art. To Ahiru's joy, Mr. Quackers was positioned in a place of honor atop her new bed.  
  
The guest rooms were pretty much alike, furnished with nice but kinda generic furniture, so Ahiru chose the one closer to the big guest bathroom for convenience's sake and left her suitcase at the foot of the bed before trooping back downstairs with everyone else.  
  
“I've got all your presents in a closet, Ahiru, so just wait with your sisters in the living room while your dad and I go get them,” Paulamoni told them as they reached the bottom of the staircase. “No peeking.”  
  
“Okay, okay,” Ahiru said with a laugh. She followed her sisters over there, and then hung back as they all found somewhere to sit. Back at the townhome, everyone had had “their” spot on the ancient couches, and she knew where they'd all been. Here, though, she had to wait for Pike, Lilie, and Malen to choose places and hope she wasn't going to pick the wrong one when she settled down too.  
  
She ended up sitting close to Malen, just before her parents turned up with five gift-wrapped boxes of varying sizes. “Here you go!” Paulo set down the ones he was carrying on the floor in front of Ahiru, and Paulamoni did the same. “Merry belated Christmas!”  
  
“Thanks!” Ahiru leaned over, and tried to decide which one to open first. Each one was clearly labeled, so she knew who'd bought what. After a bit of indecision, she picked Lilie's. Best to get that over with first, as Lilie's gifts could be odd and she doubted that would've changed. It was the smallest of the boxes, and opening it up revealed a set of earrings, dangly ones, with pressed four leaf clovers in crystal. “Oh, these are pretty!!”  
  
“And useful!” Lilie nodded. “If there are any hidden weird fae around that palace, just put those on and you'll be able to see through their concealing spells! That's what the stories say about four-leaf clovers, anyway, and the woman who makes these insists it's true, so it _must_ be!”  
  
“Er... okay.” Ahiru closed the box and set it aside. “Thanks, I'm... sure it'll help.”  
  
“Of course! Anything to protect my darling sister from the danger she is constantly in every moment of her life now!” Lilie pulled a huge, lace-edged hankie from her pocket and dabbed at her eyes with it. “It will set my heart at so, so much ease to know that I've made you safer...”  
  
“Um, okay.” Ahiru picked up Pike's present, a foreboding feeling joining the weird, downcast mood she was already in. Was Pike's gift gonna be something like that too? She really didn't want to hurt anyone's feelings, but the thought of taking this stuff back to the palace was so _awkward_ , to say the least.  
  
To her relief, though, the big, flat box wasn't a book of anti-fae tips, like she'd feared, but a selection of candy from some upscale place that she vaguely remembered seeing on the way here. The name seemed familiar, anyway. “You like?” Pike leaned over as Ahiru ripped the rest of the wrapping paper off. “It's a custom box! I picked out all the stuff I already know you like, plus a bunch of things I bet you've never even tried before.”  
  
“Yeah, it looks great!” Ahiru let her breath out as she ran her fingers over the lid. “I can't wait to try some!”  
  
“Wait till after lunch so you don't spoil your appetite, as Mom used to say.” Pike grinned, and Paulamoni rolled her eyes good-naturedly. “We're going out to lunch, by the way, if that's okay? And dinner too, there's a couple places we've found here that we want to introduce you to.”

“Sounds good to me.” Ahiru picked up her mother's present next. That one also had a good chance of being something awkward to explain to her friends at the palace, but thankfully was completely innocuous: a set of beautiful, custom-made personalized stationery. “Ooh, it's pretty...”  
  
“I'm glad you like it.” Paulamoni settled back against the couch cushions. “Be sure to write me sometime on it—I know most people prefer email these days, but I still love a good handwritten note.”  
  
Pike groaned. “Don't tell me you want her to write it in cursive, too?”  
  
“That'd be nice.” Paulamoni laughed. “But not required.”  
  
“Good, cause I still suck at cursive.” Ahiru wrinkled her nose and set the stationery aside so she could unwrap the last two. Her dad's gift, and Malen's—much safer territory, with nothing to worry about in terms of “how do I explain this to everyone”. She went for her dad's gift first, and gasped as she opened the box to find a really high-end digital camera. “Oh! Dad... I... wow!”  
  
“I take it you like it?” Paulo smiled. “You seemed to really enjoy taking all those pictures for us, so I thought you might like a better machine than that old phone.”  
  
“I love it! Thanks so much!” Ahiru gazed admiringly down at it. “When I get back, I'll take so many pictures, and email them all to you!” She looked over at her mom. “Maybe you'd like some of the gardens in the spring, so you can get ideas for stuff you'd like to do here?”  
  
“...That actually might not be a bad idea,” Paulamoni said after a pause. “I'm not sure I really want to model my whole garden off anything they're doing there, but...if you really like it, and since they're apparently good at natural spaces...I guess it couldn't hurt to take some inspiration from it.”  
  
Not as enthusiastic as she would've wished, but given who she was talking to, it could've been worse. And she had time to try and bring her mother around more, anyway. “Okay! Cool!” Ahiru reached for Malen's gift. Beside her, the couch squeaked a little as Malen leaned over to try and get a closer look at her reaction. Ahiru smiled to herself and focused on ripping the paper off, to reveal...a brand new iPod. “Oh! Oh my God! Malen!” She turned to look at her. “I love it! Thank you so much!”  
  
“I'm glad!” Malen's nervous expression melted into a smile. “I thought it might be nice for you to have something like that, you know? You've never gotten to have one, and I thought, you know, maybe it'd be fun to listen to music while you're in that huge tub or just chilling in your room or something.”  
  
“Yeah, that's gonna be great!” Ahiru beamed at her. “It's perfect, thank you!”  
  
After they'd cleaned up all the wrapping paper and put her presents in her room, they all headed out into Artolia. Since Ahiru had never been there before, they wanted to take her around town and show her various spots. Now that money wasn't an object, everyone but Ahiru owned their own car, but for convenience's sake they took the SUV Paulamoni had bought specifically for family trips.  
  
Between one thing and another, plus traffic, they didn't get home until after dinner. They'd eaten both meals out at different but equally upscale restaurants, just as Pike had told her, and driven her all over town to see various places and walk around doing some shopping in the Old Artolia district. Ahiru held back on making a lot of purchases, not because of money, but because she didn't want to overload a suitcase that already had to fit in her Christmas gifts on top of the stuff she'd brought with her. Still, she bought some cute clothes, and a few new bookmarks.  
  
When they got back, they spent a good few hours playing board games while old favorite movies ran on the huge TV. It helped distract Ahiru for a while, but when she sat on the bed in the guest room later, all by herself and ready to go to bed, she realized exactly what the problem was, what had been hanging over her all day.  
  
This wasn't her room. This wasn't her home. And she'd known that before she walked in the door, of course. But what she didn't know was... where was her room? Where was her home? Did she really have one?  
  
Sure, there was the room she occupied at Mytho's palace. But that could easily _stop_ being her room if she decided not to marry him, which made it hard to really call it hers. And if she _did_ marry him, what then? She'd probably have to switch to a different one anyway, depending on how marriage to him would work. Plus, either way... would it really be _hers?_ Sure, the room he'd given her now was nice. Great decorating and design and everything. Yeah. Thing was, though... she hadn't picked any of that stuff out herself. Not one bit. She hadn't gotten to put her own stamp on it, and if she married Mytho, she'd _never_ be able to do that with the space she occupied. Not the way her parents and her sisters were doing or planning to do with their homes, whether it was renovating this house or getting a custom-designed one, or even just sprucing up a little apartment. They'd all get to do something she couldn't.  
  
Back in Twin Pines, the idea of someday moving out and having her own place had been a distant concept. Even just going to college had been a deferred dream, never mind being able to live by herself. But the idea had still been there, lurking at the back of her brain. She'd let her mind wander sometimes while washing dishes or cleaning the bathroom, to what her hypothetical future apartment might look like, and what kinds of things she'd use to decorate with. Paulamoni had gotten a gift card for Bed Bath and Beyond as a birthday gift from a friend last year, and Ahiru had tagged along when she'd spent it. All the housewares and bathroom stuff had gotten her going again on her far-off dream of living on her own, speculating on what she liked and how she'd make everything look. It hadn't been anything more than an abstract fantasy, but it'd been fun anyway.  
  
Now, though, she had to deal with the fact that, despite now having the money to make those little wistful fantasies real, she couldn't actually _do_ anything about them. She couldn't customize her room in any serious way now, and if she married Mytho, that was off the market forever. It was a little bit sad to think about, honestly. At the same time, though, was she gonna let it sway her into choosing not to be with Mytho? She'd have to decide how big a priority it was for her.  
  
Later, though. Later. Right now she just wanted to get some sleep. It'd been a _very_ long day. Ahiru yawned, climbed under the covers, and turned out the lights. At least she'd get one night without company here, even if the room felt just as weird and strange otherwise as her first night in the palace had.  
  
***  
  
Ahiru stretched and yawned, blinking in the near-darkness. The blackout curtains in the windows did a pretty good job of blocking out light, but there was some peeking around the edges anyway, faint and grey. A glance at her phone showed her that it was earlier than she'd intended to get up, but she shrugged. Might as well just stay up, at this point. Even if she hadn't slept as well as she'd thought she would.  
  
It was weird. Maybe it was just the fact that she was in a different bed, in a different room, but Ahiru had the feeling that wasn't all of it. For one thing, she'd woken up a few times in the middle of the night, feeling cold despite that her parents kept the heater here set at a comfortably snug temperature. Maybe she was just really used to the body heat of the stranger by now, so sleeping alone wasn't what it used to be? That was... honestly, it was a pretty fucking strange idea. It was all she could think of, though.  
  
Either way, she didn't want to stay in bed any longer. Ahiru pulled on the robe she'd brought with her, and then headed downstairs to the kitchen. She had no idea anymore where anything was, but she could find something to drink, and she doubted anyone would mind.  
  
The light was already on when she got down there, though, and her mom was sitting at the kitchen island with a cup of coffee. Ahiru halted. “Oh... morning, Mom.”  
  
“Morning.” Paulamoni yawned. “Can't sleep?”  
  
“No.” Ahiru shook her head. “Must be the time change.” She opened up a cupboard. “Where are the glasses?”  
  
“Next one over.” Paulamoni took a sip of her coffee. “There's creamer in the fridge, if you want.”  
  
“Nah, I don't want any coffee, just orange juice.” Ahiru got it out of the fridge, poured some, and sat down on the opposite side of the island from her mother.  
  
“Right, you never did like it that much.” Paulamoni looked down at her cup. “What do you drink instead in the morning, in the... in the palace?”  
  
“Tea, usually. Or hot cocoa. It depends on what I feel like.” Ahiru sipped her juice. “I basically order whatever I want for breakfast and the kitchen staff makes it.”  
  
“Must be nice.”  
  
Ahiru looked over at Paulamoni. She couldn't tell what she was thinking from her expression. “It is, actually. I meant what I said yesterday: I really am happy there.” She hesitated. “I wish...”  
  
“That I'd be more supportive of it?” Paulamoni sighed. “I'm sorry, Ahiru. I'm trying. Your father and I... we've talked a lot about it since you left. I still don't entirely agree with him, or like this whole situation, or... but I'm trying. I really am.” She sighed again. “I'll never entirely be comfortable with all this, and every time I spend money on something I feel like... I don't know how to put it. Not... blood money, exactly, but...” She winced. “Some part of me doesn't feel right. But then I look at how much better Malen is doing, thanks to—to it all, and I just...”  
  
“You're conflicted about it.” Ahiru looked down at her own cup.  
  
“Yes.” Paulamoni rubbed her forehead. “I see the good things that are coming out of this—Malen's health, being able to own a home, not having to worry so much about bills and rent, being able to do all the fun things we all dreamed about for years... but I also see that you're not here. I know you're off trapped in a palace somewhere, making all this possible.”  
  
“Mom, I'm not... I'm not trapped.” Ahiru shifted uncomfortably in her chair. “I'm _happy_ there. I'm getting to take the ballet lessons I always wanted, I have friends, I was able to buy you all cool stuff, I get to do fun things...”  
  
“And that's nice and all, but are you really _free?_ ” Paulamoni's hands tightened around her coffee cup. “I mean, look at this visit. You couldn't just come see us on your own without permission, and you're only allowed to be here one night...”  
  
“That's just... it's part of the arrangement I made with Mytho.” Ahiru gulped down some more juice, avoiding her mother's eyes. “I gave my word, I have to keep it. And I'll visit again, you know that. And keep using Skype and stuff.”  
  
“I know you will, it's just...” Paulamoni scowled down at her coffee. “I wish you didn't have to put up with these restrictions. What's the point of them? I don't get it.” She raised the cup to her lips to take a drink, but then made a face. “What does he really want from you, anyway? Just to live there?”  
  
Here it was. Ahiru took a deep breath and let it out. On the other side of the kitchen island, Paulamoni got up and walked towards the sink, where she dumped the rest of her coffee and started to rinse out the cup. “Actually... um... about that...”  
  
“Huh?” Paulamoni turned the water off and turned around. “What's that?”  
  
“I, um... the thing is...” Ahiru swallowed. “Mytho wants... that is... he's asked me... if-if I'll marry him.”  
  
There was a loud crash. Ahiru looked up to see that the coffee cup had slipped out of Paulamoni's fingers and shattered on the kitchen floor. Paulamoni herself barely seemed to have noticed it. She was gaping at Ahiru in stunned silence, frozen in her shock. Ahiru swallowed again. Paulamoni stared. Finally, after what seemed like forever, her voice came out in a whisper. “He's... what?”  
  
“Asked—asked me to...” Ahiru tore her gaze away from her mother's wide eyes and open mouth, fixing on the mess at her feet. “H-hey, let me help you clean that up...”  
  
“Don't!” It came out sharper than Paulamoni might've intended, and Ahiru froze where she was. “I mean... you might cut yourself, just... just... let me do it.” She turned away, one hand clasped to her mouth, and hurried towards the walk-in pantry.  
  
“Mom...” Ahiru said helplessly, watching as her mother disappeared into the pantry and then reappeared with a broom and dustpan.  
  
“Ahiru, please, let me have a moment.” Paulamoni knelt on the floor and began to carefully sweep up the remnants of the coffee cup. “You just... you dropped a huge bombshell on me, I need a minute to absorb it. My daughter... getting married to a...”  
  
“I haven't said yes yet!” Ahiru wrung her hands. “I'm still just... I'm considering it. That's... not the same thing.”  
  
“What's to consider?” Paulamoni glanced up from sweeping broken pieces into the dustpan long enough to give Ahiru an incredulous look. “Please, Ahiru, tell me you're not seriously considering marrying him... please...”  
  
“It's not off the table yet,” Ahiru said carefully, forcing her tone to remain calm and even. “I told him—and this is the truth—that I need time to think it over before I give him my answer. Which I am. Thinking it over, that is.”  
  
“Seriously?” Paulamoni's eyebrows went up almost to her hairline. “You're seriously considering it?” Ahiru nodded. “Oh my God... this isn't happening...” She let out a groan, even as she stood and carefully carried the dustpan over to the trash can. “My daughter, thinking of marrying a...”  
  
“Hey, come on, I just said I was considering it, not that I'm definitely gonna do it!” Ahiru crossed her arms. “I might not!”  
  
“But you're considering it? Why?” Paulamoni slammed the trash can lid down. “That's what I don't get! Why would you even consider it? Why haven't you told him no already?”  
  
“It's more complicated than that.” Ahiru looked away. “I... well... it's... I do really care about him, so...”  
  
“So... that's enough to get _married_ on?” Paulamoni gaped at her again. “Never mind him being a fae, which is bad enough, but he's in the form of a _bear!_ You do realize that he's a bear, right?”  
  
“Yes, Mom.” Ahiru tried not to roll her eyes. “I'm well aware.”  
  
“That's what I thought. Okay.” Paulamoni rubbed her temples. “So... you're saying that... you have feelings enough for a bear after so short an amount of time there that you think you could marry him? What the _hell_ are they putting in your food?”  
  
“Nothing! Mom, I...” Ahiru stared at her, aghast. “This is all me, okay? He hasn't drugged me or enchanted me or anything!”  
  
“Really? And you would know this how?” Paulamoni began to pace back and forth across the kitchen, her arms wrapped around herself. “Oh, Ahiru, honey, listen to yourself... marrying a fae bear? What are you thinking? I don't understand...”  
  
“That's cause you don't know him. Even though I've tried to tell you. Mom, he's...” Ahiru took a moment to gather her thoughts. “He's really kind, and warm, and generous, and fun to be around, and I _trust_ him, okay? I see him at dinner every night, and it's such a great part of my day, to get to talk to him...”  
  
“And that's enough to make you want to marry him?” Paulamoni tapped her fingers against her arm. “No. That can't... it shouldn't be. That's only a small amount of conversation, at one part of the day, that's not enough to really know someone. You two are rushing into this.”  
  
“Not really.” Ahiru shook her head. It was tempting to bring up the few times they'd done stuff during the day, but she didn't think that would help, her mom would say that wasn't enough either. So why bother? “I told him I needed more time to think, and he said to take all the time I need. He doesn't want to rush me.”  
  
“How many times has he asked you, though?” Paulamoni stopped pacing, but her fingers kept tapping away on her arm. “Every night? Like in Beauty and the Beast?”  
  
“No, just the once.” Ahiru shook her head. “That's it.”  
  
“So he's not pressuring you?” Paulamoni started pacing again. “He's not being weird or coercive or guilt-trippy in any way?”  
  
“No.” Ahiru shook her head. “He's testing me, I think, but pressuring me? No way.”  
  
“Testing you?” Paulamoni stopped again, her gaze fixed on Ahiru. “Testing you how?”  
  
Oh shit. She'd said way too much. “Ah... that is... I mean...” Ahiru gulped. “N-not really _testing_ , I don't think that's the right word, I think I said the wrong thing, haha, what I meant to say is... he wanted me to become... he said for me to be acclimated to everything, him included...” Which was true. Let her think that was it. _Please_ let her think that was it.  
  
“No, that's not what you meant.” Paulamoni shook her head, and Ahiru's stomach dropped. “You're hiding something. Out with it. How's he testing you?”  
  
“I'm not hiding anything!” Ahiru shook her head frantically, her eyes wide. “I swear! I just—I just used the wrong word!”  
  
“No, Ahiru.” Paulamoni took a step forward. “Come on, I _know_ you. I gave _birth_ to you. I can tell when you're hiding something, like right now. There's something you're not telling me about this Mytho and what he's doing, and I want to hear it.”  
  
“It's... well, I don't think it's him. I don't know if it's him,” Ahiru amended, her whole body drooping in defeat. “It's someone else. I think. Maybe. I'm not sure.”  
  
Paulamoni made a sound of annoyance. “Well, whoever it is, _what are they doing?_ ”  
  
“They're... sleeping.” Ahiru dropped her gaze to the floor. “In... in my bed. Every night. Just sleeping. Even if I lock the door, they get in.”  
  
“ _What?!_ ” Paulamoni clapped her hands to her mouth the instant the word erupted from her, as if that could call it back. For a minute she stood frozen in place, waiting to see if she'd woken anyone up; when no sound came from upstairs, she relaxed a little. But only enough for her panic to turn to horror and outrage. “Ahiru, you—are you _serious?_ Someone you don't know, sleeping in your _bed?_ ”  
  
“I... y-yeah.” Ahiru nodded, still not looking at her mother. “I—I know it sounds weird, but—”  
  
“But nothing! That's—that's...” Paulamoni trailed off, at a loss for words. Her fingers tapped out a staccato rhythm on the counter. “And you—how do you not know who it is? Haven't you looked at them? Why would you let this happen?”  
  
“What? It's not my fault!” Ahiru stomped her foot on the floor. “I've _tried,_ okay? I've tried locking the door, and I've tried sleeping on the couch in my room, but it doesn't work. They still get in, and they still get into bed, and if I try to sleep somewhere else, I just wind up back in bed. So don't blame me for this, okay?”  
  
“What about seeing who it is? What they look like?” Paulamoni's eyes flashed. “Have you tried that? Did you even _think_ of that?”  
  
“Of course I did!” Ahiru clutched at the sleeves of her robe, her fingers trembling in her anger. “God, Mom, how stupid do you think I am? That's the first thing I did! And I tried it tons of times! But it _doesn't work!_ The lamp won't turn on, my phone stays dead, and they're always gone by the time the sun's up. So I just. Don't know what they look like, and that's not my fault either!”  
  
“Well—well—of course it doesn't work! You're trying to use modern technology! On what's probably a fairy! Ahiru, come on, you know how they fuck up that kind of thing.” Paulamoni sighed. “You need—hang on, I'll be right back.”  
  
“Mom, what—wait!” Ahiru called after her, but Paulamoni had already rushed away, disappearing down the endless front hall. Ahiru sighed and rubbed her forehead. Great. This was going so fucking great. What next?  
  
The answer arrived soon enough, no more than five minutes later. Paulamoni came back in a hurry, walking briskly, and slapped something down on the counter in front of Ahiru. “Here. Use these tonight when that creep shows up.”  
  
Ahiru looked down at what Paulamoni had brought out. “A... a tealight?” And what looked like a scented one, at that. “And... a lighter?”  
  
“Yes. I'd like to see some damn fae spell prevent a candle from lighting. Ha! Not likely!” Triumph gleamed in her eyes. “Use that. Get a glimpse of whoever this freak is, and get them out of your bed. Because this... this can't go on.” Paulamoni breathed heavily through her nose. “This is inappropriate. This is _wrong_. No one should be forcing you to share your bed. I don't care what they are.”  
  
“Mom, no.” Ahiru took a step back, shaking her head. “I don't think this is a good idea. Thanks, but... I can deal with this. I'm used to it by now.”  
  
“ _Used to it?_ ” Paulamoni's eyes widened and her nostrils flared. “No! No, Ahiru, that's—that's unacceptable! That's _not okay!_ You _have_ to see what they look like, and put a stop to this.”  
  
“But Mom, didn't you hear what I said before?” Ahiru tightened her robe around herself. “It's a test—it has to be. Like in the stories. Why else would it be happening? I think I'm not supposed to see them. Don't ask me why, it's just a feeling I have.”  
  
“That's not good enough!” Paulamoni moved forward, and took hold of Ahiru's arms. “Ahiru, sweetie, come on—what person, what _good_ person, is gonna test you by making you share your bed with a stranger every night, without you being asked for permission? And even if it is a test, well, why can't you cheat?”  
  
“... Cheat?” Now it was Ahiru's turn to gape. “Mom... are you... okay, who are you and what did you do with my real mom?”  
  
“Yeah, okay, I know, I know, I know how that sounds.” Paulamoni managed a weak laugh, even as she let go of Ahiru. “Believe me, _I_ never thought I'd ever be encouraging any of my daughters to cheat at anything either. But this time... this one time... I think that this one time, it'd be okay.” Her tone turned pleading. “Baby, come on, aren't you the least bit curious?”  
  
“Of course I am, I just...” Ahiru bit her lip. “I don't know... maybe I'm not supposed to know, what if I fail or get in trouble?”  
  
“You won't.” Paulamoni shook her head. “It's just a tealight, it's not like shining a flashlight in someone's face. All you have to do is light it, take a peek, and then blow it out. Easy! It won't wake them up, and you'll know what they look like. All there is to it.”  
  
“I don't know...”  
  
“I do.” Paulamoni picked up the tealight and the lighter and put them in Ahiru's hands. “Trust me. It'll be fine. Just take them, okay? Please? You don't have to use them right away, just—I'd feel a lot better if I sent you back with an option.”  
  
“I...” Ahiru looked down at the items in her hands, at her mother's hands. She sighed. “... Fine. But I'm not making any promises.”  
“That's—well, okay, to be honest I wish you would, but I'm gonna stop pushing, so you don't change your mind.” Paulamoni let go of her hands and backed away. “Now, you should have some breakfast and get ready, cause isn't he going to be here pretty early to take you back?”  
  
Shit. Ahiru glanced at the clock, and groaned. “Yeah... I better do that.” She sighed again. “I'll shower first, and then eat.” After everything that had just happened, she really didn't have an appetite yet.  
  
“Whatever you want.” Paulamoni turned and walked back towards the pantry. “Anything I can make you while you're in the shower?”  
  
“No thanks, I'll figure something out when I'm done.”  
  
“Suit yourself.”  
  
Her appetite still hadn't entirely returned by the time she got ready, unfortunately. Everyone else was in the kitchen by then, though, and since she didn't want to explain why she wasn't that hungry, Ahiru had to fake it and force down a light breakfast that she barely tasted. Before she knew it, it was time to head out to wait for Mytho, suitcase in hand. With the tealight and lighter tucked safely inside.  
  
“So tragic that we must bid you farewell again so soon, dearest little sister.” Lilie sniffled. “Is there nothing we can do to persuade you to stay longer? Or, oooh, would that make your beastly lover wither away and perish for lack of your presence?” Her eyes widened. “I hadn't thought of that before!”  
  
“Lilie, stop, he's not my—we're not like that!” Ahiru turned her head away, hoping that her blush wasn't too obvious. Lilie had hit close to the mark in a way, but she really didn't need to know that. “I made a promise and I'm going to keep it, that's all.”  
  
“Oooh, yeah, you don't want to break a promise to the fae.” Pike shook her head. “ _Big_ no-no there. So don't try and make her, Lilie.”  
  
Yeah. Fae really did take promises seriously, Pike was right about that. So did people who'd grown up among them and absorbed enough of their culture, like Fakir. Ahiru couldn't help but think of her promise to him too. Hopefully, once she'd kept it, it'd get him to trust her enough so they could _really_ be friends. That'd be nice.  
  
Lilie huffed. “Just what kind of a monster do you think I _am_ , Pike?”  
  
“The kind that's a sucker for tragedy.” Pike rolled her eyes. “Don't even bother denying it.”  
  
“Slander again.” Lilie folded her arms and turned away. “This is why you're going to get thrown into my dungeon when I have one. You brought it on yourself!”  
  
“Whatever.”  
  
“Hey, Ahiru?” Malen nudged her. “You alright? You've been kinda distracted all morning.”  
  
“Huh? Oh... no, I'm fine.” Ahiru smiled at her. “Just tired, is all... we were up pretty late and then I ended up waking up early cause I'm used to being in a different timezone and then I had to hurry and get ready and make sure everything was packed...”  
  
“Yeah, I understand.” Malen gave her a sympathetic look. “Maybe next time you could stay for a little longer? Just so you can relax more. That'd be nice.”  
  
“Yeah, it would be.” Ahiru yawned. “I'll ask Mytho about that next time.”  
  
And, as if the mentioning of his name had summoned him, Mytho appeared around the corner. Ahiru watched her family's reactions. They all seemed to jump a little, but then her dad and Malen relaxed. Her dad even looked a little like he thought that ability to appear out of nowhere was cool. Which made sense, he'd asked her in an email not long after she got to the palace if fae could teleport like in Star Trek. Pike and Lilie, meanwhile, edged away from him, and Lilie grabbed Pike's arm. And then there was her mom, who narrowed her eyes for a moment before putting on a more neutral expression. Ahiru tried not to sigh. What kind of dynamic did she have to look forward to if she married him? Not a fun one, that was for sure. Thankfully, Mytho was too far away to notice her mom's reaction. He walked towards them, but then stopped several yards away and nodded to Ahiru. Taking that as her cue, she turned to hug her family goodbye.  
  
It went much the same as it had the last time she'd bid them farewell, though there was definitely less tension. For the most part. Until it came time for Paulamoni to give her a hug, and she whispered in her ear, “Remember what I gave you. Don't forget that you can and should use it.”  
  
“I know, Mom.” Ahiru tried not to sigh or give away her exasperation. “Bye, I love you, and I'll talk to you soon.”  
  
Once she'd finished saying her goodbyes—and pried herself away a second time from Lilie's life-threatening embrace—Ahiru headed down the driveway to meet Mytho.  
  
“Good morning, Ahiru.” Mytho seemed to yawn a little. “How are you this fine day?”  
  
“Hey, Mytho. I'm good.” Ahiru went straight to the pack saddle, and began to try to replicate the knots from the day before to secure her suitcase. “What about you?”  
  
“A trifle weary, with more weariness yet to come, but I shall rest well once we are within my halls.” He turned his head to look at her as she tightened one particular knot. “Was your visit as pleasant as you hoped?”  
  
Ahiru's fingers slipped slightly on the rope, but she caught herself and kept going. “Yeah, it was really good. It was great to see everyone again.” They were all still watching her, of course, but they couldn't hear anything she was saying. “I really appreciate you letting me visit.”  
  
“Naturally.” Mytho nodded. “I know well how dear they are to you, how much you have missed them. They no doubt are a great influence on you.”  
  
Ahiru took a breath, and let it out slowly before answering. “Sure. I mean, everyone's family influences them. But I'm my own person in the end, and I don't listen to everything they say or take it all as gospel. There's lots of stuff we disagree on.” She made sure the last knot was tight enough, and then walked over to where she'd climb onto Mytho's back.  
  
“Of course. Such is the way with all families.” Mytho lowered himself to the ground, to make it easier for Ahiru to climb up. Once she had, he paused long enough for her to wave at her watching family, and then cast the spell to shield them from other eyes. Like always, if he said anything she couldn't hear it, but it rose around them like a pale pink fog that looked for a split-second like it was made of flower petals. The warm, floral scent of his magic contrasted sharply with the brisk, wintry air. “If you are prepared, then I shall now depart.”  
  
“Yeah, I am.” Ahiru took one last glance behind her, to make sure that the suitcase hadn't budged when Mytho had shifted positions, and then focused her attention on the horizon. “Let's go.”  
  
They spoke little on the return trip; Ahiru suspected that Mytho needed to conserve his energy. Privately she thought that he might be a little less exhausted if he'd just let her stay a little longer, instead of making the long journey between the palace and her family's home four times in two days, but oh well. Especially since she wasn't sure that staying longer would've been a good idea for her anyway. More time for Paulamoni to exert more pressure on her to use the candle she'd given her.  
  
The candle. Yeah. Ahiru spent a lot of time during the trip back glancing nervously over her shoulder to make sure that her knots were holding and the suitcase was still there. Honestly, part of her wasn't sure if she wanted it to stay put or fall off. On the one hand, she'd lose some clothes and toiletries and her family's Christmas gifts, not to mention the things she'd bought herself in town. But on the other hand, it'd neatly get rid of that damn tealight and lighter and she could tell her mom “oops, it's on the side of the road somewhere, too bad” when she asked about it. She could avoid the temptation of actually going through with using it, too.  
  
And it _was_ tempting. Holy shit, was it ever tempting. Sure, she'd given up on getting the phone or the lamp to work, so she'd thought she was reasonably okay with not knowing the weirdo's identity... but she'd never thought of using a _candle_. It seemed so obvious in hindsight, but in her defense candles weren't something that got used regularly anymore, at least in her part of the world, for anything other than aesthetics (barring when power outages happened). Her family had never had money to waste on shit like that, though. Paulamoni had looked longingly at displays of expensive scented candles whenever they were in a store that sold them, but had never bought one. Till now, apparently, when she could actually afford them. So, since they'd never been a big presence in Ahiru’s technology-dominated life, she hadn't thought of using them to see the stranger by. Where would she have gotten a candle, anyway? No, it made sense to have overlooked that option. Now that she thought about it, she couldn't remember seeing any in the palace, even just for display. Even at dinner every night it was always just electric lights on dim, not real candles. Which seemed odd, if she stopped to really think about it, that they wouldn't use candles that much. Eh, maybe it was just similar to what Raetsel had said about cars, with the fae adjusting to some technologies once they were old enough.  
  
She had one now, though. Sitting in one of the little zipped-up pockets on her suitcase, along with a lighter. Every time Ahiru looked back to make sure her knots were holding, her eyes went straight to where she knew the tealight and lighter were hiding. And every time, she looked away again quickly in her guilt, but the thought of them remained. The thought, and the temptation. Just one peek. It'd just be one peek. That was all. No big deal.  
  
No. She couldn't. It was a bad idea. Ahiru shook her head, as if to rattle the thought out through her ears or something. Bad, bad, bad idea. Her mom meant well, but she didn't really understand everything, and she seemed determined to refuse to try. No, Ahiru would hide the things away, and resist temptation, and never use them. That was for the best.  
  
Yet still, it gnawed at the back of Ahiru's mind all through the journey back to the palace. It gnawed at her mind for the rest of the day, keeping her awake and restless when she tried to take a nap to replenish some of her energy. She easily found places for her Christmas presents and new purchases after taking them out of the suitcase late in the afternoon, but sat for a long time on her bed with the tealight and lighter in her hands, unable to decide where to put them. Finally, when it was almost time to go down to dinner, she shoved them both under her pillow and rushed over to her closet to pick out a suitable dress. She only realized her mistake when she sat down at the table and started eating—what if Raetsel or someone else went in there to straighten the bed and found them under the pillow? Yeah, it wasn't a hotel room and no one ever left mints on her pillow, but still. It haunted her all through her meal, and she wasn't sure she completely fooled Mytho by chalking up her distracted state to being tired from the long trip.  
  
When Mytho finally left, Ahiru all but flew back up to her room. Thankfully, the bed was still unmade and the candle and lighter still tucked under the pillow. She breathed a huge sigh of relief. Tomorrow, she'd find a better hiding place for it. Right now, she just wanted to try and read a little, then go to bed early.  
  
Ahiru couldn't sleep, though. She didn't toss and turn, but just stared up into the darkness, her mind uncomfortably awake with thoughts about what she'd hidden just an inch or so from her face. Even when she managed to doze a little, it didn't last and she was soon back to just sighing and staring and trying to think of something else, _anything_ else but that damn candle.  
  
The dark, quiet hours ticked by. And soon enough, the soft, familiar noise of the stranger climbing into bed with her happened again. Ahiru could barely breathe as she waited for them to finish settling themselves beneath the covers, and fall asleep. She rolled over onto her side, her back to them, and waited for the breathing noises behind her to even out. They always seemed to fall asleep quickly, but in her current state of mind, it felt like they took longer tonight, as if they knew she was impatient for them to drift off. So Ahiru waited.  
  
And stuck one hand under the pillow. The lighter bumped up against the tealight, but didn't make any noise. At least, none that would be noticeable. Ahiru closed her small fingers around them, the metal cold against her skin, and waited, her eyes open despite that she couldn't see anything. Her heart was racing as if she'd just run up and down all the stairs in the palace, and her stomach was churning so badly that she felt like she was gonna throw up. Even when she'd gone into Ms. Geizsler's office that day she got fired she didn't remember feeling this anxious. She made herself take deep breaths, to try and regulate her own breathing, and focused her mind on one thought: she didn't have to do this now. She didn't have to do it at all, really. And if she did, what was the worst that could happen?  
  
Her mother's words floated back to her: _All you have to do is light it, take a peek, and then blow it out. Easy! It won't wake them up, and you'll know what they look like. All there is to it._ Was it, though? It seemed like so many things could go wrong. What if the lighter didn't work? What if the sound of it woke up the sleeping person?  
  
Quick as a flash, answers to both those questions bobbed to the surface of her mind. If the lighter didn't work, it didn't work. Same as the lamp or the phone not working. As for the noise maybe waking the person up? Well, it wasn't any louder, really, than her attempts to turn on the lamp or her phone, or her shouting at them and shaking them. That last one especially was way likely to wake a person up, and they hadn't budged! So the idea of the lighter, of all things, being the thing to rouse them from sleep was so far-fetched it wasn't worth worrying about. There was the light from the candle to think about too, but honestly? That didn't seem like a big deal either. It was just a tealight. It'd let her see them, true, but could it really wake up someone who stayed asleep even when shouted at and grabbed and shaken? Doubtful. No, her mother was probably right about it being the best way to take a peek without getting caught.  
  
The question that remained, then, was: did she want to try taking a peek? Could she be satisfied never knowing the person's face? Back when she'd believed she didn't have the option, she'd thought she could be. She'd thought she was used to this enough that she could just put up with it till she passed whatever test it was supposed to be. But now, with a method of seeing the person's identity literally in her hand, Ahiru wasn't so sure anymore. And really, her mom _did_ have a point about this whole thing. That she'd even thought she was okay with it was almost as disturbing as the situation itself. Ahiru didn't agree with her mother about a lot of things, she hadn't lied to Mytho about that. Especially not her stance on the fae. On the other hand, though... what was that saying about broken clocks, and being right twice a day or something? That summed up her mother. Sorta. She was wrong and prejudiced and biased about a lot of things, particularly fae-related things, but she honestly meant well and she really did have a point about this fucked-up situation. Maybe she really should listen to her this time, instead of just blowing off her advice again. Maybe it was even the key to the test, maybe Mytho wanted her to investigate this and report it to him, she could have this whole thing backwards for all she knew.  
  
Well. Only one way to find out.  
  
Ahiru sat up. Slowly. She didn't want to jolt the person too much, after all, despite knowing that they were capable of sleeping through being shouted at and shaken. She turned herself slowly around to face them, and positioned the tealight in her hand, practicing bringing the lighter to the wick a few times, until she was reasonably confident she wouldn't accidentally set herself on fire.  
  
Then she flicked the lighter. It flared to life on the third try, and with a hand she was desperately trying to keep steady, Ahiru moved the little flame to the wick of the tealight. Once she was sure it'd caught fire, she put the lighter out.Then, holding her breath, she inched closer to the person sleeping in her bed.  
  
If she hadn't been holding her breath, Ahiru would've gasped when she saw the person's face. It was a youthful-looking man, and quite possibly the most handsome one she'd ever seen. His eyes were closed, so she couldn't see their color, but his lashes were long and thick, resting just above the kind of perfect cheekbones you only seemed to see on movie stars. His skin was pale and delicate, almost translucent, and utterly smooth and unblemished and perfect. But his hair—his hair was an even purer shade of white, to the point where it almost shone in the dim light of the candle's flickering flame, like pearl. It lay around his face in flawless locks that were kinda shaped like swan feathers. She couldn't see all of what he was wearing, only the top of his simple white shirt, with the first couple buttons undone. One of his hands rested atop the covers, and a sigh seemed to escape his parted lips. _Oh_ , how handsome he was! Ahiru let out a little sigh of her own as she stared admiringly at his sleeping face. Could this be Mytho's true form? Fakir had said he wasn't always a bear—was it too much to hope that he'd been about to reveal that Mytho sometimes looked like _this?_ What a lovely, lovely thought. The faint smell of roses wafted up from the little tealight, lending an even more romantic atmosphere to the whole setting. She could easily imagine herself marrying someone like this, wearing a beautiful white dress, dancing a pas de deux with him once she'd learned enough ballet. And he'd smile at her, and hold her hand, and whirl her around the floor. It really was like something out of a Disney movie.  
  
If this wasn't Mytho, though, then her happy little fantasies weren't gonna come to anything. Ahiru leaned over the sleeping man, in hopes of finding some clue in his face that would give away his identity. It was risky, sure, but she had to know. She put down the lighter and switched the candle over to her right hand, so that she could brace herself on the bed with her left, and started to more closely study his gorgeous, perfect face.  
  
As she did, though, she forgot to keep the tealight upright, and tilted it just a bit too much. Some of the rose-scented wax spilled over the flimsy metal edge, and splashed onto the sleeping man's chest where his open shirt left it bare. Ahiru realized her mistake and righted the candle, but too late—the man's eyes flew open, revealing them to be the same amber eyes she knew so well now. Those eyes blinked, disorientation showing in them first, and then widened in panic as they registered the sight of Ahiru and the lit candle. He scrambled into a sitting position, almost slipping on the sheets in his haste; Ahiru pulled back quickly so he wouldn't hit her outstretched arm, spilling a few more drops of wax onto the bed in the process.  
  
“What have you done?” He seemed to shrink away from her, an attempt to escape back into the shadows beyond the flickering candle flame. But even the encroaching darkness couldn't hide him completely, and Ahiru got a glimpse of his terrified expression. “Oh, Ahiru, do you not know what ruin you have brought us to?”  
  
His voice was a shock. True, it wasn't exactly the same, given the huge size difference between his two forms, but if she listened closely, it was definitely Mytho. “I... I... what?” Ahiru stared back at him. “What do you mean? How could this have ruined anything?”  
  
“Oh, Ahiru, Ahiru...” His voice cracked, and he shook his head, closing his oh so familiar amber eyes. “If only you had held back your curiosity for a year and day, things might have gone differently. I could have...” His voice broke.  
  
“You could've what?” Ahiru's stomach twisted, as if she'd eaten something at dinner that didn't agree with her. “Mytho, talk to me, I don't understand...”  
  
“You—no, no, of course you would not understand, I—oh, Ahiru, forgive me, I would have told you all if I had been permitted—but I thought I warned you, and I believed, I believed...” He shuddered and drew his knees up to his chest, shielding his face with his arms as he wrapped them around his legs, as if that would retroactively prevent her from seeing him. “But I was wrong, and you, now we must both pay the price, we—” His voice caught again, and when he spoke she could hear real grief in it. “I am sorry, Ahiru. I would have... I wish I could have married you.”  
  
“What?” Ahiru's breath hitched, and she almost dropped the candle, making the flame flicker wildly. For a moment, she was afraid it would go out, but even that came second to the fear stirred up in her heart by the sight of Mytho right now, and the things he was saying. He'd all but curled in on himself, as if he was trying to hide in the shadows—from what, she didn't know—and looked so small that it was hard to believe he'd ever taken the shape of a giant polar bear. The candle's flame flickered even more as Ahiru's hand shook. “Mytho, what do you mean? Wh-why can't we still get married? I—I never said no, I hadn't even decided, I—why are you saying all this?”  
  
“I—well, it is, it is... it is like this.” Mytho unfolded himself, so that he could lean forward and take Ahiru's free hand in both of his. His skin felt clammy, like he'd broken out in a cold sweat, and his hands were trembling violently, resulting in him almost losing his grip on her more than once. “Many years ago, a wicked member of the Unseelie Court sought to gain control over the Seelie Court as well, which my family has long held influence over. His efforts against us resulted first in the loss of my parents, and the fleeing of my kingdom to these lands. We lived quietly for a time, until he found us again, and laid upon me a dreadful curse and a geas to go with it.”  
  
“Wait, what?” Ahiru interrupted. “Sorry, but, what's a geas?”  
  
“It is—well, to put in simple terms, it prevented me from speaking openly of my plight to you, which caused me no end of difficulty.” The shadows around his face parted for a moment, just long enough to give her a good look at his eyes. Those kind, warm eyes that she was beginning to know so well and wanted to see shine with true happiness. They were oddly bright now, feverish, almost wet-looking, and full of pleading. Nothing like what she’d hoped for. “That is what I meant when I said, that I was not permitted to talk of certain things to you, that is why, why I always held back when you asked me questions that came too close to, to what I could not...” He sighed. “Oh, Ahiru, I am so sorry, believe me when I say that I would have laid my soul bare to you if I had been allowed, but I was not, so I must beg your forgiveness...” He let go of her hand and reached his shaking fingers up towards her cheek, but then withdrew them and bowed his head. “I wanted to give you so much more than I was able, and now...” He trailed off, his voice thick with unshed tears.  
  
“Mytho, it's okay, it's not your fault!” Ahiru tightened her grip on the one hand of his that was still holding hers. It was slippery, but she managed. “So, he—he cursed you? A-and that's why you've been in the form of a bear?”  
  
“Yes.” Mytho lifted his head again, and looked up at her. Shadows played across his face, lending an eerie glow to already pale skin that now looked positively ashen. “I was thus bound to the form you know so well, but only by day, by night, I—well, by night I am what you have regrettably seen. My hope was—that is—the terms of the curse, which I had hoped you would fulfill, was that if you had just held out for a year and day without beholding me like this, I would have been free of this foul enchantment.”  
  
“But I fucked up,” Ahiru whispered, a chill running down her spine and settling in the pit of her stomach. “I looked...”  
  
“Yes. You gave in to your curiosity and you looked at me.” Mytho's eyes darted back and forth, as if there was something lurking in the deep shadows outside their tiny circle of light, and then fixed on Ahiru. “To the sorrow of us both.”  
  
“So what's gonna happen now?” Ahiru's fingers shook, and another drop of hot wax fell, this time landing on her nightgown, right on her leg; she ignored the hot burst of pain and focused instead on gripping Mytho's hand even tighter. He squeezed back, so tightly it hurt, his hands feeling like ice. Or maybe she was the one who'd gone cold? She couldn't tell, she couldn't tell. “Mytho, why's it such a bad thing, explain?”  
  
“Because I—” His gaze darted away from her again, and he swallowed so hard that she could hear it. “Now that you have seen me, I shall be separated from you.” Mytho looked wildly around, his shoulders hunched as if he was anticipating an attack. “I will be taken to his home, and wed to his daughter, who he has told me is wicked and wretched both within and without.”  
  
“What? No way!” Ahiru shook her head. “He can't just force you to marry someone you don't want, can he? That can't be right! No one can do that!”  
  
“Ahiru, sweet one, you are still thinking as a human would.” Mytho's eyes became mournful, even as he leaned forward, seemingly trying to take one last, long look at her, to memorize her face. “The fae world is so very different from everything you know. If he wishes for me to marry his daughter, then I—” His whole body jerked, and he tore his eyes off her face for a moment to stare in the direction of the window, looking as if he'd heard something, or was expecting to hear something. “I cannot—I cannot stay his course.”  
  
“Well, yeah, not if you don't try! Or let someone else try!” Ahiru's voice rose. “Where's this guy live, anyway? There's gotta be something that someone can do about this! If nothing else, I can come get you and we can run away!”  
  
“He lives in the castle that lies east of the sun and west of the moon. But—”  
  
Mytho's voice faltered, and failed, his gaze going back in the direction of the window again. This time, she heard something too. It started quietly, so low that she thought it was coming from a tree out in the garden, but grew steadily louder, until it seemed as though the source was standing right outside the canopy curtains on her bed.  
  
It was laughter. Cold, cruel, inhuman laughter, that sounded like the cawing of a monstrous bird. Starting small, and growing larger and larger, till it reached a truly terrifying size. Full of triumph and terrible joy. It echoed off the walls, drowning out even the mad pounding of Ahiru's heart, and freezing her blood in her veins.  
  
It was _him_.  
  
And she could tell by his laughter that he knew, as well as Ahiru and Mytho knew, that he'd won. That she’d failed.

That they were out of time.

Ahiru yelped as a frigid wind struck against her back, the darkness of the room suddenly alive and closing in around them. Her braid whipped against her face as she lifted her head and stared into Mytho’s eyes. They were desperate with terror. She opened her mouth as the laughter continued to envelop them, searching for something to say, but it was all she could do to keep the candle lit in the shelter of her body as the wind tore around them. Maybe if she didn’t take her eyes off Mytho, maybe if she held on tight to his hand…

Mytho leaned closer to her, trembling hard. His mouth opened and she leaned forward to hear, but as she did, the wind found the little flame in her hand, and the light flickered, flickered again, and then spluttered out. The wind and laughter ceased in an instant, leaving only the sound of their panicked breathing and Ahiru’s pounding heart in her ears. Was that it? Had he gone? She sat in the complete darkness, waiting, useless candle still clutched to her chest.

And then Mytho’s hand was ripped out of hers. He cried out, and she lunged forward, trying to find his hand again, and fell forward onto the bed, dropping the tealight. She wasted no time in scrambling upright, though, and made for her side of the bed. Her searching hands found the edges of the nightstand, and her shaking fingers fumbled for the lamp. This time it worked, bathing the bedroom in a warm, soft glow. Blinking as her eyes adjusted to the light, Ahiru turned frantically back to rumpled sheets and mislaid pillows. But there was nothing there. Nothing but the sad remnants of a guilty little candle, and spilled wax that had already gone cold.

The darkness had vanished. And it had taken Mytho with it.

 


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Beta-read by [letters_of_stars](http://archiveofourown.org/users/letters_of_stars/pseuds/letters_of_stars).

Ahiru reached a trembling hand out to the empty space where Mytho had sat just seconds ago. It felt so cold, like he'd never been there at all. She curled her fingers around the sheets, willing him to come back, for this not to be real, but nothing happened. And it was so _quiet_ now. Painfully quiet. Oh God, what had she done?

Even worse, as she stared disbelievingly at the bed, something caught her eye underneath the rumpled sheets. Ahiru started to reach for it and then froze, her heart banging against her ribs. Was that—could it really be—oh God, it was. Her hands shaking anew, Ahiru pulled out from under her comforter the exact swan blanket she'd given Mytho for Christmas. It'd been... he'd been using it _here_ , all this time. Because she'd given it to him. Tears stung Ahiru's eyes as she lifted it to her face. It smelled faintly of his magic, that sweet floral scent that teased her nose whenever he cast a spell. That last detail proved to be too much for her, and Ahiru burst into tears, clutching the blanket to her chest as she sobbed. Mytho had loved her gift enough to risk her recognizing the blanket and noticing the smell of his magic. Mytho had wanted so badly to marry her. And now he was gone. Because she'd seen him. She’d broken the rules and looked at him, and because of that she'd probably never see him again.

That thought made her cry even harder, even letting out a loud wail, and the sound of air whirling and swishing behind her got drowned out as a result. It took a hand being laid gently on her shoulder to tip her off to the fact that she wasn't alone anymore, and even that made her nearly jump out of her skin as she turned to see who'd touched her. Ahiru blinked, her vision blurred with tears. “R-Raetsel?”

“Ahiru?” Raetsel's eyes lingered on her face for a moment, and then went to the empty bed beyond her; she seemed to sag, and then met Ahiru's gaze again. “He was... he came here, did he not?”

“Wh-who?” Ahiru hiccuped. “The... the...” She realized too late that she didn't even have a name for the person who'd stolen Mytho from her.

“The man who cursed our prince.” Raetsel's eyes suddenly looked far too old for her youthful face. “He came to this room. To this palace.”

“... Yeah.” Ahiru bowed her head, unable to bear looking at Raetsel anymore. “He was... he... and Mytho...Mytho's...!”

“I feared as much.” Raetsel sighed, and laid her hand on Ahiru's shoulder again. “Try to sleep now, Ahiru, as best you can—I know it will be difficult to be alone right now, but I must leave you, for there is much for me to do.”

“What?” Ahiru stared up at her. “No, let me—let me help, there must be something I can—”

“Have you not done enough already?” The words slipped out of Raetsel in a harsher tone than she must've wanted—as soon as they were out, her eyes widened and she let go of Ahiru, clapping her hand over her mouth. “Oh... forgive me, I do not know—I did not mean—”

“Yeah, you did.” Ahiru took a great, gulping breath, to try and stave off fresh tears. “You're mad at me for causing this, and you have every right to be. I fucked up.”

“You were curious, as all humans are.” Raetsel looked away, her fingers toying restlessly with the collar of her robe. “It can be an admirable trait, in moderation, but sometimes...” She stopped, and shook her head. “In any case, I must correct you. I am not angry with you, not truly, merely... disappointed.”

 _Disappointed_. Ahiru's shoulders slumped as she felt the blow hit home, both physically and emotionally. There was nothing 'merely' about that. Well, maybe it was different for fae, but for her, a human, hearing that someone was disappointed in her was worse than having them get mad at her. _Way_ worse. “I... well... you can be mad too, I understand, I mean...” She wiped at her eyes. “But—but please, I know I messed up, so can I please try to help out? Not cause I think that'll make up for it all and make it all better, but it's the least I can do...”

“There is nothing you can do.” Raetsel shook her head. “Just let us—the palace staff, that is—handle it. Go to sleep. We will decide what must be done.”

“No _way,_ there must be something I can—”

“There is nothing you can do,” Raetsel repeated, her tone gentle but firm. “Go to sleep, Ahiru. Your part in this tale is done. We shall write the rest.”

“But—”

“Goodnight, Ahiru.”

Raetsel turned out the lamp, as a way of ending the conversation, so Ahiru didn't see her leave. She heard the soft sound of air whirling around, though, that she'd missed a few minutes ago, and smelled the faint aroma of vanilla left behind. Neither made as much of an impact as the panic that froze Ahiru in place as the room was plunged into darkness once more. She sat trembling for several seconds before fumbling around frantically and turning the light back on. It wasn't any easier, emotionally, to see the empty bed beside her, but at least she wasn't alone in the dark again, with the all too fresh memory of Mytho's kidnapping in her head. She shivered. How the hell did Raetsel expect her to sleep after that? How could _anyone_ sleep after that? Raetsel hadn't been here, she hadn't seen the shadows close in, or heard that laughter, felt that icy wind, seen the fear on Mytho's face.

_Mytho..._

“Oh, Mytho, I...” Ahiru's voice caught, her shaking starting anew as tears filled her eyes yet again. Through them she could see the swan blanket in her hands, and that just made everything worse. “I'm sorry... I'm so sorry... I...” She clutched the blanket to her chest as she cried, falling over onto the bed. “I didn't mean to...”

There was no answer. And even though she hadn't expected one, it still made Ahiru cry harder, and she squeezed her eyes shut so she wouldn't have to look at the rumpled sheets where he'd been not even half an hour ago. It took a while, but Ahiru eventually cried herself into a restless sleep, full of nightmares about shadows and giant cawing birds and Mytho's terrified expression.

The sun had already risen by the time she woke up, pale light sifting in through wind-torn curtains as she laid there. Ahiru shifted, but otherwise just stayed where she was, staring listlessly at the window and continuing to clutch at Mytho's blanket. She knew she probably should get up, but what was the point? What was she going to do once was she was up?

 _There is nothing you can do._ Raetsel's words floated back to her, carrying just as much sting as they had last night. It was true. She'd done enough. She'd had her moment of curiosity, and now Mytho was paying for it. No, not just Mytho—the whole rest of the palace obviously had to scramble to do... something, now that he was gone. And since she was an outsider, not a member of the staff, there was nothing she could do to help them. What was it Raetsel had said? Something about her part in this 'tale' being over? Yeah. She'd played her part in this mess, and now she had to step aside and let everyone else clean it up. She'd get out of bed eventually, of course, but just to pack her things and go back to her parents and—

—And do what? Live out the rest of her life in ridiculous luxury pretending that none of this had ever happened? Try to forget everyone she'd met here? To push all her feelings for all of them, even Mytho— _especially_ Mytho—aside? That was... could she really do that? Could she really just move on and let herself be written out of this story?

 _Of course you can. Why not?_ A lump formed in Ahiru's throat. _You were never important to begin with. You never have been. You're just a useless human, a nobody, working crappy retail jobs in a small town... what can someone like you do? Nothing. You're nothing, and you can do nothing. You don't matter. Give it up._

It was true. Ahiru swallowed past the lump, her eyes stinging with fresh tears. She'd never been anyone special, not even in her own family. Not even at her small high school. She'd done alright grades-wise, but not spectacular, and hadn't participated in extracurriculars because of issues with not being able to afford it and needing to work a part-time job to help support her family, so she had no awards or accomplishments to her name. And even if she'd been able to join something, what would she have done? She couldn't sing like Pike liked to, she wasn't any good at sports, she couldn't act the way Lilie did, or draw like Malen, she was just... the untalented, uncreative leftover child. An afterthought. And Mytho hadn't picked her to marry because he'd seen something in her that no one else did, or because she was the youngest and most beautiful like in some fairy tales, but because he'd watched her do shit like leave candy for pixies. That was it. He'd gotten himself all worked up on some idea of her as a maiden with a pure heart, and decided she was his best option. And look how well _that_ had worked. Raetsel was right—there really wasn't anything she could do. She was useless. Might as well go home.

_And do what?_

“Move on with my life,” Ahiru mumbled through her tears, to no one in particular. “Someone else'll figure out how to save him. I can't do anything.”

Yet, even as she said it, she knew deep down in her gut that that would never be enough for her. Hadn't she gotten tired of what felt like a meaningless life, doing nothing but laboring away in crappy retail jobs? Could she really just sit there and watch the rest of this story play out without trying to affect it in some way? Obsessively seeking out news, _any_ news, that might give her a hint about how Mytho was and if someone had helped him? Knowing where he was and that she'd never even tried to get there and set him free? Could she live with herself if she did that? If she squandered her chance, however slim, to help him? Never mind Raetsel's disappointment in her for what she'd done last night, could she bear to disappoint _herself_ like that? To turn her back on Mytho?

No. She couldn't. How could she? Ahiru's lip trembled as she started to cry again, just remembering Mytho's face last night. Mytho had... he'd... he must've had _some_ faith in her, to pick her like that. Sure, it'd been based on a romanticized idea of her, but there must've been _something_ there, right? And she'd told him last night that she'd try to help him, he'd remember that. And when she didn't show up, he'd... oh, he'd be so hurt. How could she let him down like that, give him false hope? No, she had to do _something_. She couldn't just sit back and watch while someone else decided on everything. She couldn't just let herself wallow in self-pity, thinking there was nothing she could do, that wouldn't help Mytho or anyone else. No, she'd caused this, and now she had to try and fix it. Even if Raetsel and the others didn't think she still had a role to play in all this. Even if she really didn't. She'd _make_ one, if she had to. For Mytho's sake. Her jaw set with the determination starting to course through her, Ahiru wiped at her eyes and got up. Nothing was gonna get done if she just stayed in bed crying. Time to take action. Time to go save Mytho.

It took her about half an hour to cram everything she thought she'd need for a long trip into the biggest of the suitcases she'd been given, plus getting dressed. There was no time for breakfast, not now. She had to get going if she was gonna find Mytho and bring him back here. Her stomach was growling, but she ignored it. There'd be stuff to buy on the way, and she had plenty of money. Ahiru gave her suitcase one last, quick check and then zipped it up and rolled it downstairs, making way too much noise on the stairs for her comfort.

Of course, in her rush to get packed and get down there, she'd forgotten one very important thing: the bell to summon Raetsel. Ahiru groaned and slapped her forehead. Ugh, she didn't have _time_ for this shit! She'd just have to leave her suitcase here, run back up, grab the bell, and run down here and use it. Nothing for it. What a pain, though, and—

“And just where do you think _you're_ going?”

Ahiru turned. Fakir was standing there, wearing a thick woolen coat over his usual ‘library uniform’ of a button-up shirt, vest, and slacks; if it wasn't for the naked fury blazing in his forest green eyes, she'd have wondered about that. She shrank back. “I—I'm—”

“Running off home to mommy and daddy?” he interrupted, his jaw flexing with barely controlled anger. “Didn't want to face any of us, so you thought you'd just skip back without a care in the world?”

“I—no!” Ahiru shook her head. “Why would you think—I'm, what I'm doing is, I'm gonna...” Her voice trailed off as she spotted the suitcase behind Fakir's legs. Her eyes narrowed. “Hey, what about _you?_ Don't think you can just hide that thing from me! That's—that's what _you're_ doing, isn't it? Mytho's gone, so you're just running back to _your_ parents, and assuming I'm doing the same thing! You fucking hypocrite!”

“If anyone's making assumptions here, it's you. I'm not running off to do anything except fix _your_ mistake.” He breathed heavily through his nose. “If you'd only fucked up _your_ life, fine, see if I give a shit. But you fucked things up for all of us, especially Mytho, and someone's gotta do something about it.”

“Oh, and that someone is _you?_ ” Ahiru gave an incredulous laugh. “I don't think so! Since it's my mistake, I'll be the one to fix it, thanks very much. You can stay here or run back to _your_ mommy and daddy, I really don't care.”

“The hell you are.” Fakir's nostrils flared. “You? Fix this? You'd just fuck things up even worse, the way you fucked up and landed us all in this shitty situation to begin with. If you'd just listened—”

“To what? You vagueing it up with your bullshit warnings about not talking to my mom alone?” Renewed fury boiled to the surface as her last argument with Fakir came rushing back to her. “You gave me all that crap about not doing anything I'd regret, not talking to her by myself, blah blah blah, but no explanation why not. And now you're blaming me for this, as if you couldn't have prevented this by being more clear? Like I could possibly have known anything about a curse? Fuck _that!_ ”

“Oh, fuck _you_.” He pinched the bridge of his nose, ignoring Ahiru's gasp of startled rage. “You know damn well this is all _your_ fault, if you'd just known better than to—”

“Oh yeah? Well, what would _you_ have done?” Ahiru stomped her foot. “You can't tell me that if some weirdo starting sleeping in _your_ bed without asking, that you wouldn't have wanted to see who it was! Gimme a fucking break!”

“‘Wanted to’ is different from actually going through with it.” Fakir ground his teeth together. “Maybe I would've wanted to see, but I wouldn't have done it. You live with fae now, not with humans. It’s different here, and you should’ve known that. _I_ know that!”

“Well, aren't you just _soooooooo_ perfect.” Ahiru rolled her eyes. “Whatever. I don't have time to waste on you, I gotta get going so I can find Mytho.”

“ _You?_ Save Mytho? I don't fucking think so.” Fakir reached behind himself and grabbed the handle of his rolling suitcase, yanking it forward into full view. “ _I'm_ the one who's going to go get him. _You_ can stay here or run home, I don't care as long as you don't try to get in my way.”

“ _Excuse me?_ ” Ahiru gaped at him. “No. No way. _I_ don't fucking think so. I'll be the one to find him, you can just—”

“Right, cause I really trust you not to fuck it up at every step of the way.” Fakir rolled his eyes.

“I don't care if you don't trust me! I'm gonna do it anyway!” Ahiru grit her teeth. “Like I said, it's _my_ mistake to fix, there's no need for you to—”

“Pardon the intrusion, but may I interject an opinion?”

They both turned to see Raetsel standing there, looking as tired as she sounded. Ahiru felt her shoulders sag. “Raetsel—are you okay? I...”

“Do not worry about me, Ahiru—I am doing the best that I can to manage things under the… the circumstances.” She sighed heavily, and Ahiru saw Fakir's jaw flex again. “Now, if I have understood your conversation correctly, you both wish to set out to save Mytho. Am I right?”

“Yes.” Fakir took a step forward, somehow managing to look both relieved and smug at the same time. “But it's obviously a stupid idea for _her_ to try it, and now that you're here you can tell her that.”

Raetsel shook her head. “I intend to do no such thing.”

“ _What?_ ” The question burst out of them both in unison; they exchanged looks that went from startled to annoyed in less than five seconds.

“Listen to me.” Raetsel smoothed down some of her slightly unkempt hair in a self-conscious motion. “The fact is that it was indeed Ahiru's mistake that resulted in this situation. That is undeniable. So too is that I myself at first believed that she had no more part to play in all this. However, upon seeing her now, determined to right her wrongs, I believe it is just as undeniable that she is the maiden with the pure heart that Mytho chose and intended to wed, who should have had him for her own true love. By the old rules that govern our world, that means that she may yet be the one who must rescue him from his cruel fate, to amend her error and reclaim him for herself.”

“Raetsel, you can't be serious.” Fakir's jaw had gone slack as he gaped at Raetsel. Ahiru had never seen him at such a loss. “She—”

“Cannot be expected to pass unscathed through fae lands? Yes, I know.” Raetsel nodded. “Ahiru has grown up almost exclusively amongst other humans and thus knows little of our ways and rules. You, on the other hand, have spent nearly your entire life steeped in our culture, and know it far better. You can provide invaluable assistance to her in her quest.”

“I don't see why I should provide her with anything.” Fakir folded his arms across his chest and glowered. “Since I know so much about the fae world, I can go by myself.”

“And flounder as badly in human-dominated territory as she would in the fae lands?” Raetsel rubbed her forehead. “For all your knowledge of our customs, it comes at a price—you know as precious little of the human realm as she knows of ours, and would be as lost there as she would be in fae-controlled locales. This journey will cross through both worlds, and the only option for success is to combine your knowledge pools and set out together, work as one to save Mytho, and bring him home. Can you not see the wisdom in this?”

“I—” Fakir held Raetsel's gaze for a moment before looking away. His fingers tapped out an erratic rhythm on his arms as he silently fumed. Finally, he exhaled sharply through his nose and gave the tiniest of nods. “... _Fine_.”

“And you, Ahiru?” Raetsel turned to her. “Do you not also concede this?”

“I... well...” Ahiru knew Raetsel was right, but she really didn't want to admit it. Not because she had any beef with Raetsel, but because the idea of being stuck with Fakir on what was probably gonna be a long-ass road trip sounded like hell on earth. Ultimately, though, she couldn't think of any counter-argument, and so she reluctantly nodded too. “Yeah, I guess... I mean... you have a point, and I want to save Mytho more than anything, so...”

“Excellent.” Raetsel nodded. “Now then, tell me of your plans. Do you have any idea how to reach him?”

“I...” Ahiru faltered. “Well, well, I know where he is, but—”

“But not how to get there? Typical.” Fakir rolled his eyes and shook his head.

“Oh, and _you_ do?” Ahiru turned and glared at him.

“I don't know _exactly_ , but I know where I can at least _start_ , a person I can go to.” Fakir gave her a smug, sidelong glance that made her clench her hands into fists again, so tightly that her nails dug painfully into her palms. “They should be able to give me the guidance I need.”

“I am glad you have a place to begin. But may I ask how you intend to get to them?” Raetsel raised an eyebrow. “The last I heard, Fakir, you still don't own a car.”

“ _I_ was going to ask you to take me to the Goldenkrone train station,” Ahiru piped up. “I was just about to go get the bell when I got interrupted.” She gave Fakir an equally smug look.

“Yeah, and buy a ticket to _where_ , exactly?” Fakir shot back, not to be outdone. “I don't think 'Parts Unknown' is on the—”

“That will do, Fakir.” Raetsel's tone was one of mild rebuke. “It looks to me like each of you had half of a plan, and if we put them together we may end up with the semblance of a whole one.” Both Ahiru and Fakir looked down at the floor, their faces turning nearly-identical shades of pink. “Very well. I shall give you two a ride to the train station, leaving immediately. Are you both ready?”

“Yeah.” Ahiru scuffed her shoe on the floor, still not looking at Raetsel. “I'm ready.”

“Same here.”

“Good.” Raetsel cleared her throat. “We will leave now, then. But before we head to the garage, I must lay down my rules. You will both ride in the back seat, I will not have arguments about who is going to sit in the front, no one will be—what's the human term—ah, right. No one will be calling rifle.” She nodded.

“Shotgun,” Ahiru mumbled, her lips twitching with amusement despite the gravity of the situation.

“What was that?” Raetsel asked sharply.

“Nothing!” Ahiru forced herself to keep a straight face. “Just... thinking aloud...”

“I see.” Raetsel eyed her with some suspicion. “Well, I suppose it does not really matter. Come, grab your luggage, both of you, and let us go.”

Ahiru and Fakir both obeyed, grabbing the handles of their respective suitcases and following Raetsel to the garage. They shot glares at each other the whole way there, stopping only when they reached Raetsel's car and the time came to load their things in the trunk. While Raetsel warmed up the car they got into the backseat, thankfully without arguing over who would sit on which side, and buckled up and waited. They looked at each other one last time as Raetsel backed out of her parking space, an utterly icy glare, before turning away to stare out their windows.

Neither spoke a word the whole trip down the mountain and into Goldenkrone, and Raetsel seemed okay with letting things stay quiet. Yet, despite her lingering anger at Fakir, Ahiru's stomach was churning, and not just with hunger. Her mistake with the candle hadn't only gotten Mytho taken away, but it seemed to have ruined the budding friendship she'd started to have with Fakir. Sure, she was still mad at him for not warning her better, for keeping vital information from her that could've prevented all this, but all the same she felt sick over being sent back to square one with him. _Worse_ than square one. They'd only just started to be friends, and now it was all fucked up. And it could've been avoided, too, if he'd just been less squirrelly about what he knew about Mytho. _Damn_ him!

No matter which way she looked at it, this whole thing really fucking sucked. She'd lost—dang, what _was_ Mytho to her, anyway? Technically? They hadn't actually been engaged yet, sure, but now that she knew the truth about him, she definitely wanted to say yes to his proposal once she saved him. Whatever you'd call their relationship, though, she'd lost him and a friend in one go, and probably endangered her friendships with Raetsel and Freya, too. Oh God, _Freya_. Ahiru's heart sank. She hadn't gotten to see her before she left, and she honestly wasn't sure if she could bear to face her right now anyway. Raetsel's disappointment had been bad enough, thinking about how Freya must feel made her downright sick, to the point where she was _glad_ she hadn't gotten to eat yet. And not just that—what was happening around the castle that Raetsel didn't seem to have slept, and looked so exhausted? What was _going_ to happen, now that Mytho was gone? She'd gotten herself ready and out of there so fast that she hadn't noticed any differences, and she wanted to kick herself for not paying more attention. Though, in all fairness, he'd only just vanished hours ago, maybe there wasn't anything different.

Yet. Maybe there wasn't anything different _yet._ It could be coming. For all she knew, Mytho was the glue that held everything together, and with him gone things would start to come undone. Would it be a slow decay? Were the gardens gonna fade away, the flowers and trees wilting away despite Freya's best efforts? Would the food in the kitchens start spoiling, how would Ebine and the kitchen staff manage? Was that why Fakir was coming with her, instead of someone useful like Raetsel, with her fae magic? Would Raetsel have her hands full simply trying to keep the castle from falling apart? Fakir was probably the only person they could afford to spare, since there wasn't anything special about him. Everyone else would be needed to keep things running. This palace was a safe haven for so many people, a sanctuary where fae, half-fae, and even humans could feel accepted and loved, was that threatened now that its master was gone? Ugh, Fakir and Raetsel were right, there was so little she knew about the fae world and how things worked. How was Freya right now, was she as worn out as Raetsel? What was gonna happen while she and Fakir were out searching for Mytho? Would the palace simply grind to a halt, struggling to keep everything together while they waited for their beloved prince to come back? Would people start to jump ship out of fear of the future, leaving Mytho to return home to empty halls? Oh God, so many questions, with so many horrible possible answers. They distracted Ahiru so much that she barely noticed when they left the mountain road and entered Goldkrone.

“This is as far as I take you,” Raetsel said abruptly as she pulled into a spot at the station, startling Ahiru out of the anxious thoughts that were still plaguing her. It was pretty crowded, but she'd managed to find a free—if kinda small—space on the outer edges of the lot. “I will assume that one or both of you knows how to buy tickets and board a train, and so you do not need any meager assistance I could offer. It is more important that I return home swiftly to help hold things together in Mytho's absence.”

Ahiru sank down into her seat, even as Fakir unbuckled his seatbelt and got out of the car. “Raetsel, I... is—is everyone...”

“We are doing the best we can.” Raetsel didn't meet her eyes, and seemed not to notice what Ahiru had chickened out of saying. “Now go, and bring Mytho home swiftly. That will be best for all of us.”

“Alright.” Ahiru nodded. “I'll bring him back. I _promise_.”

“See that you do.” Raetsel's voice was quiet, but there was something in it that made Ahiru flinch all the same. She nodded again, and hastily got out of the car.

Fakir had already gotten both of their suitcases of the trunk, and moved them away, behind another car. Ahiru moved over to stand as close to him as she could bear, while Raetsel pulled out of her parking space and left. “You _promise?_ ” he jeered once Raetsel had driven away. “Just like you promised me to stay till spring? _That_ worked out really great.”

“And whose fault is _that?_ ” Ahiru grabbed her suitcase and stalked off towards the station entrance. “Your warnings were absolute _shit_. Face it—you blew it.”

“I did what I could to keep your idiocy in check. It's not my fault you didn't listen.” Fakir easily caught up with her despite her headstart, much to her irritation. “ _You're_ the one that blew it.”

“Yeah, you just keep telling yourself that.” Ahiru rolled her eyes and tried to quicken her pace. Funny how her guilt disappeared whenever Fakir opened his mouth. “Whatever helps you sleep at night.”

“ _I_ will sleep just fine. _You_ might have a problem, though.”

“Right now my problem is _you!_ ” Ahiru paused long enough to aim a kick at a small rock on the ground. Her foot connected with it, and the rock went skittering off to hit a nearby lamppost with a loud bang. “You fucked all this up, and you won't even admit it! You hid way too much shit from me, so I didn't know what not to do. And—hey, how _did_ you know to warn me, anyway? Even as crappy as it was?”

“Mytho talks to me. That's all you need to know.” Fakir stopped as they reached the end of the row, to let a couple cars pass them by.

“See, that's what I'm fucking talking about!” Ahiru stomped her foot, and then followed him once it was safe to cross. “You get all cryptic and shit, and you hide important stuff from me, and then you have the nerve to blame _me_ when that backfires? You're unbelievable!”

“And you're an idiot.” Fakir strode through the station door, not even bothering to hold it open for her. “Come on, keep up, we need to buy our tickets,” he said brusquely once she was in.

“I'm _trying!_ You just walk too fast!”

He shrugged. “I can't help it if you're a runt.”

“No, but you could slow down a little! And where are you going, anyway? The ticket machines are over _here!_ ” Ahiru pointed at a row of them against the far wall, in the opposite direction from where Fakir was walking.

“What?” He frowned. “Aren't those just—ATM machines? The tellers over here sell the tickets.” He pointed to a couple people in uniform behind the counter he'd been heading towards.

“No, that's customer service.” Ahiru rolled her eyes. “I thought you were a librarian? You can't read the signs? And anyway, that stuff's all done by machine now, even here obviously, and by the way, 'ATM machine' is redundant.”

“Whatever.” Fakir rolled his eyes too, but she could see him turning a little red. “So sue me, I haven't been in a train station in a while.”

“ _Obviously_.” Ahiru turned and marched towards the ticket machines, without waiting for Fakir to follow. He caught up in no time, though, and they got in the shortest line. “Where are we going, anyway?”

“Hn, at least you have the brains to ask now instead of when it's our turn and everyone's waiting for us.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “Get two tickets to Hemlock Hollow—it'll be quicker to buy both at once, and I'll pay you back.”

“No need.” Ahiru lifted her chin in the air. “I can afford to buy yours too, no need to repay me.”

“Right, your vast fortune from Mytho. How could I forget?” Fakir laughed mirthlessly. “You picked a fine way to repay _him_ for all that he gave you.”

“Shut up.” Ahiru fought to keep her voice from shaking. “What Mytho gave me is none of your business. And anyway, I haven't failed yet. I'm definitely gonna save him.”

“If you can keep from fucking up again.” Fakir cleared his throat. “Anyway, come on, get the tickets so we can get out of here.”

Ahiru started to say something, but bit her lip. It was damn tempting, but she didn't want to keep people waiting or risk having to get on a later train than she wanted. So she stepped forward as the person ahead of them walked away, and started up the ticket-buying process. There was a train leaving for Hemlock Hollow in about a half-hour, so she bought two tickets. Once the machine had spat them out, she wordlessly handed one to Fakir before heading off to find somewhere to wait till it was time to board.

She was starving by now, though, not used to going without food for so long, so she left her suitcase with Fakir while she headed off to a little shop in search of snacks. She settled for a couple granola bars and a bottle of water, and ate them in silence on a bench beside Fakir.

When they finally got to board the train, they found it way more crowded than either of them would've preferred, and wound up squished together on the last remaining seat at the back. Ahiru got stuck in the middle between Fakir and a pasty guy in a beanie and sweats by the window, who just _had_ to have his legs spread wide. He gave them a disinterested once-over before putting in earbuds and turning to stare out said window. Ahiru would've made a face at him if she wasn't afraid he'd see her reflection in the glass and give her shit for it. Would it _really_ be that hard for him not to manspread, considering there were two other people sitting next to him on a packed train? Asshole.

As it rumbled out of the station, Ahiru noticed something. All around them was noise—whether it was people talking, or the sound of pages turning as people read books and newspapers, the train itself moving over the tracks, or the music blaring out of the earbuds of the guy next to her. But around her and Fakir, it felt like there was a pocket of deep silence. Deep, awkward, silence. Fakir had pulled a book out of his coat pocket, and was reading it quietly. Ahiru shifted slightly, wishing she'd thought to bring something like that. Oh well, she had her phone, and it was charged up to almost full, so that should work for a while. She got it out of her purse and started looking around on it for something to do.

After a while, though, she noticed a couple other things. One was that the annoying manspreader had somehow fallen asleep, despite the loud music in his ears, and was now snoring away. The other was that she felt strangely calmer despite everything, and after a minute or two she figured out why: the train car inexplicably smelled like the library at Mytho's palace, that warm, woodsy scent that made her feel like she was in a sunlit forest. Ahiru breathed in deeply, and let it out with a happy little sigh. Everything else was still shitty, but at least she had this to give her a little comfort and remind her of one of her favorite places.

In an effort to try to enjoy it more, Ahiru scooted a little further away from the snoring guy, as he looked seriously unwashed, and she wanted to smell the forest scent, not him. She jostled Fakir's arm in the process, though, causing him to almost drop his book. “Watch it!” he hissed. “Are you stupid _and_ clumsy?”

“No, just...” Ahiru shook her head. “That guy looks like he reeks, and I don't want it to interfere.”

“Interfere with what?”

“The _nice_ smell.” Ahiru shifted slightly, and picked her phone back up. “Haven't you noticed? It smells just like the palace library in here, all forest-y, I love it. I dunno why it would, but it's great.”

“... No. No, I haven't.”

His voice sounded weird—way too calm, like it was put on deliberately. And he'd gone all stiff. Ahiru turned her head to look at him. “Fakir? What's wrong?”

“Nothing.” He stared down at his book, his expression blank and unreadable. But his hands shook slightly. “Just go back to playing Candy Crash or whatever and let me read in peace.”

“Crush,” Ahiru corrected him automatically, but her mind was fixed on something else. “Fakir—no, you're obviously not okay. Come on, what's wrong? And _don't_ say it's Mytho being kidnapped and all, I know _that_ , there's something else—what is it?”

“I _said_ , it's _nothing_.” He almost dropped the book again, and lost his place in it as he fumbled to keep it in his hands. “ _Shit_. Now look what you made me do.” He flashed a glare at her, but it somehow didn't feel like a genuine one. There was something else in his eyes that she didn't have time to decipher before he put his mask of blankness back on and turned away, focused on finding his place again.

“I didn't make you do anything!” Ahiru glared back at him. “And you're obviously agitated about _something!_ ”

“Yes, the fact that you won't leave me alone and let me get back to reading.” Fakir's jaw flexed. “On top of everything else going on, don't forget about all that. Now, will you just be quiet and let me be?”

“ _Fine_.” Ahiru folded her arms and slid down in her seat, a scowl on her face. “Not like I really want to talk to you anyway...”

For a second it looked like Fakir wanted to snap a retort back, but he restrained himself. The only consolation for Ahiru was that it probably pissed him off to let her have the last word like that. Fine by her, since she was pretty pissed at him herself. It felt like every time she turned around she was tripping over some other secret he was keeping from her. What the hell was he hiding _now?_ How many more things were there that he wasn't telling her? And was this latest one gonna endanger their mission? Hadn't he learned from the fiasco they were _already_ in? Jesus, what a dipshit he could be. He thought _she_ was the stupid one? No way! It was him!

Ahiru stewed about it in silence the whole rest of the trip. Which wasn't a short one—Fakir had told her they needed to go to Hemlock Hollow, but not how far away it was, and in her semi-distracted state she hadn't noticed if the ticket machine had displayed any information about the length of the trip. She wound up walking up and down the aisles a few times just to stretch her legs, and bought semi-edible prepackaged meals for herself and Fakir when a cart came by. More than anything, the dismal food made her badly miss the wonderful meals Ebine and her staff always cooked for her every day. Were they okay? How was everyone doing? If only she had a way to find out. She hoped things were alright, or at least not too bad, and would stay that way till she and Fakir could get back there with Mytho. She needed them all to be fine, and safe.

A few very long hours later, just as they were starting to be hungry again after their crappy lunch, the train finally pulled into the Hemlock Hollow station. Ahiru awoke with a jolt as it braked, having dozed off slightly. After more hassle, irritation, and waiting, plus some bonus shoving and jostling from other passengers, they disembarked, suitcases in tow, and headed towards the exit.

“Where is this place we're going to, anyway?” Ahiru asked as they walked out into the parking lot. “Which way do we need to go from here?”

“Uh...” Fakir stopped to let a car pull into a space, and looked around, an expression of mild panic flashing briefly in his eyes. “I think... that it's, it should be...”

“You don't _know?_ ” Ahiru's jaw dropped. “But you—you said—you told Raetsel that you know where to start, that you know a person you could go to!”

“I know a person, yes, but not his address!” Fakir grabbed his suitcase and started marching away again as the person finished parking. “It's been years since I've seen him, I was just a little kid, Mytho brought me along and I wasn't exactly paying attention to addresses.”

“Wonderful.” Ahiru groaned and slapped her palm against her forehead. “ _That_ was your big plan? Ride a train for several hours to a city you don't know, and hope to find some guy who might not even live here anymore?”

“It—it's not that—there's ways to find him!” Fakir's suitcase wheel caught on the curb, and he had to stop to get it up onto the sidewalk. “There's—there's phone books, it'll list where his business is, we just need to find a phone booth and—”

“ _Phone books?_ ” Ahiru stared. “Phone _booth?_ I...” She honestly wasn't sure if she should laugh or cry. “Fakir, that's...” She took a deep breath. “Those... don't really... exist anymore, people just... cellphones are so widespread, that...”

Fakir's eyes widened, horror creeping into them. “Are you fucking kidding me?”

“No. I'm not.” Ahiru shook her head. “Whatever books about the outside world Mytho's bought for you, they're outdated. Phone booths—I've only seen them in old movies. And I don't know _anyone_ who actually keeps their phone books. They get delivered still, but everyone's got a cellphone and Google, so...”

“Great. That's fucking great.” Fakir rubbed his forehead. “ _Now_ how are we supposed to find him? Why do people assume that everyone's got a cellphone and this—this Google thing, whatever that is, and take away helpful low-tech shit? Idiots!”

“Calm down.” Ahiru pulled her phone out of her coat pocket. “ _I've_ got a cellphone, all is not lost.”

Fakir eyed it warily, as if it might explode. “And how are you going to use that thing to find him?”

“Well, if you remember his name, I can Google him, see what I can find.” Ahiru paused. “Please tell me you remember his name.”

“Of course I do!” Fakir folded his arms and looked away, his face reddening. “What kind of idiot do you take me for?”

Ahiru didn't think it would be helpful to say “the kind who travels for hours by train to find someone whose current whereabouts you don't even know”, so she swallowed it and unlocked her phone. “Okay then, what's his name?”

“Charon Schmidt.” Fakir hesitated, and then leaned over just a little, trying to get a look at the screen as Ahiru typed the name in. “You can... really find him with that?”

“I hope so. I told you, the internet is convenient.” Ahiru tapped her foot on the ground as she waited for the results to load. “But if he's fae, that business you mentioned might be off the grid, so Google won't be able to help.”

“He's half-fae. Half Coblynau, actually.”

Ahiru looked up from the loading bar and frowned. “Cobly—what?”

“Coblynau. Means he can actually handle iron, to some degree. Runs this place that restores and sells cars.” Fakir shrugged. “Means he's probably on the internet, if what you told me about businesses needing it to survive in the modern world is true.”

“It is. So...” Ahiru trailed off as the search results finally came up. “Hmm... okay.. so... aha!” She tapped one of the links. “Think I might've found him, hang on...” After another minute or so, the site loaded, and she held her phone up to show Fakir. “'Hidden Gems, Where You Can Always Come A'Knocking'? Does that sound familiar?”

“Kind of. But more than that, it sounds like a terrible pun about Coblynaus.” Fakir scowled. “They're known for helping miners find ore by knocking on the walls where it's buried.”

“Then that's probably him.” Ahiru scrolled down. “Okay, here's the address, I'll put it into my phone's GPS, and then we can get going.”

“Alright.” Fakir watched her while she did that. “And... those things are reliable?”

“Should be. At the very least it's better than trying to find a phone booth.”

“Shut up.” Fakir looked away again. “How was I supposed to know those don't really exist anymore?”

“Leave the library and go into town once in awhile, maybe? You're like a hermit in a cave, no wonder you don't know much about the world outside the palace.”

“I've never _needed_ to know until now.” Fakir shoved his hands in his coat pockets and glared at her. “My life was just _fine_ until you walked into it and fucked everything up.”

“Oh, what _ever_.” Ahiru rolled her eyes. “I'm not in the mood to rehash that shit again, let's just get go—uuugh.”

“What?” Fakir peered over at her phone. “What is it?”

“His place is like... half an hour or so from here.” Ahiru groaned.

Fakir paled. “You mean... wait, a GPS is for driving, right? So it's even longer on foot?”

“No, no.” Ahiru shook her head. “I mean, technically, yeah, but with Google Maps you can have it give you distance and travel time in walking, too. It's about a half hour of walking.”

“Oh.” Fakir looked at their suitcases, and let his breath out. “Ugh, well, there's no choice, so we better get going. Which way?”

“It's...” Ahiru looked back at the directions. “Okay, I haven't had much experience reading these, but it looks like we head left from here, cross the street at the signal, and then make a turn down Archer, to start off with...”

“Alright.” Fakir sighed and grabbed his suitcase's handle. “Lead the way.”

“Gladly.” Ahiru was tempted to rub it in his face a little that she was having to lead them to _his_ contact, but that would only start another argument that she felt too tired for at this point. So she focused on actually reading the directions on the map correctly, and directing them where they needed to go. She tried to ignore how hungry she already was, and how tired, and what a pain in the ass it was to drag the suitcase around as they walked. Eventually, though, they got to the Hidden Gems car dealership.

There was just one problem.

It was closed for the day.

They could knock all they wanted, but no one was there to answer.

“Oh, how fucking wonderful,” Fakir said through gritted teeth. “Didn't the Google tell you what the hours were?”

“The—er, the, uh, the website...” Despite herself, Ahiru had to struggle not to laugh. “It should've had the hours listed, but I didn't see them on the front page, and I didn't want to wait for it to load other stuff when we both wanted to get going...”

“Fucking great.” Fakir sighed. “ _Now_ what?”

“We go find somewhere to stay for the night and come back in the morning, that's what.” Ahiru looked around. “I don't see anything right now, but there's gotta be a hotel in this town...”

“Fine.” Fakir took a deep breath. “Use that Google thing again and find one.”

Ahiru made a face at him. “Don't order me around. I mean, obviously I was gonna do it anyway, but—shit! _Shit!_ ”

“Oh, what now?” Fakir groaned. “Did you find a way to break your phone?”

“No, it's not broken, but it _is_ out of power.” Ahiru stared down at the screen in despair. “I didn't even notice how much battery was left... shit... it'll have to be charged before I can use it again.”

“And that's exactly the problem with relying too much on this kind of thing.” Fakir rolled his eyes. “Now we're in a town we don't know, stuck here for the night, and we don't even know which way to go, all because you let your damn battery go out. Plus, there's no phone books around? We're fucked.”

“No, we're not, it'll just be a little harder to find something.” Ahiru shoved her phone back in her pocket. “Come on, let's just start walking, we're sure to find _something_. We'll grab dinner at a fast food place or something, they're sure to have outlets where I can plug in my charger, and I can do a search for nearby hotels.”

“ _Fine_.” Fakir grabbed the handle of his suitcase, nearly yanking it down onto the ground in his frustration. “Which way?”

“How am I supposed to know? I've never been here before.” Ahiru grabbed onto her own suitcase and cast her gaze around. Nothing promising in any direction. “Guess it doesn't really matter, we'll just pick a way and keep going. Good job being almost completely useless this whole time, by the way.” Ahiru started walking away, biting back more bitter words.

Fakir snorted. “Me? _I'm_ the useless one?”

“Damn right. I mean, come on, without me you’d still be stuck in the Goldenkrone train station.”

“Oh, just shut up,” Fakir muttered, but began to follow her just the same.

Half an hour later, though, they were no closer to dinner than they'd been when they'd gotten off the train. Hidden Gems, whether by choice or chance, was located in a part of the city that was full of things like other car dealerships, various car service places, and power plants. The people who worked in the area obviously either brought lunch from home, or had lunch breaks long enough to allow them to get to whichever drive-thru was closest. And whatever that was? Was probably in the opposite direction from where Ahiru and Fakir were wandering.

Things didn't improve much when they reached a shopping center, either. Everything there was either closed, boarded up, or didn't sell food. Ahiru spotted a used book store, a nail salon, an electronics outlet, a mattress store, and—embarrassingly enough—an adult superstore. Located right next to the mattress place, no less. It wasn't the kind of shop she'd ever want to go in, but at least if she'd been with her sisters, they could've made some hilarious off-color jokes. With Fakir at her side, though, it was mortifying. She hoped at first that he wouldn't even notice it, but he did. Worse, he seemed to do a double-take, just like something out of a sitcom—his eyes passed over it at first, then went back to it as he registered what he'd thought he'd seen. He took a moment to stare incredulously, as if he didn't really believe he was seeing it, and then he looked away, blushing furiously. Well, at least he was just as embarrassed, that was something? Not much, but _something_.

They had bigger problems than than walking past a sex toy shop, though. Like their exhaustion, their hunger, and that on top of everything else it was starting to get dark. To make matters even worse, after they passed the shopping center it was back into the land of no stores at all. Just the occasional house, a couple businesses that looked like houses, and the occasional pawn shop or other shady-looking establishment. Plus, without her phone's GPS, there was no way of knowing if they were heading the right way for anything.

“What a great direction you've led us in.” Fakir let go of his suitcase handle and folded his arms. “So many options for food and lodging!”

“Hey, come on, it's not my fault!” Ahiru wiped at her slightly damp forehead. “I don't know my way around this city, I've never been here before! _You're_ the one who came here without even knowing that guy's address!”

“Yeah, but if you hadn't let your phone's battery die we'd have been able to use that GPS thing!” Fakir reached up behind his head to retie his ponytail, some of his hair having slipped loose. “You shouldn't have played that stupid candy game on the train so much!”

“I didn't play it _that_ long!” Ahiru rolled her eyes.

“Just long enough.” He brushed a strand of hair out of his eyes. “And now we're lost, tired, hungry, and we don't know where the fuck we're going.”

“We'll find something!” Ahiru stomped her foot. “We just have to keep going, and—”

“And what? For how long?” Fakir threw his hands in the air. “Are we supposed to just wander around all night, and then somehow find our way back to Hidden Gems in the morning? Without a GPS? We might as well have just slept on the street outside the office!”

“Oh please, we're not gonna wander around all night! God, you're so dramatic!” Ahiru rolled her eyes again. “We're not out in the middle of the desert or something, we're in a _city_ , we'll find something eventually.”

“Yeah, well, I don't want 'eventually' to take too long.” Fakir closed his eyes and shook his head, looking exasperated.

“I don't either, obviously! You think I'm not just as tired and hungry as you are?” Ahiru heaved a huge sigh. “Come on, let's just keep going, we're not gonna accomplish anything by standing around arguing. I see some bright lights that way—let's cut through this park.” Ahiru pointed at the entrance to a large, if shabby-looking, city park just a few feet away from them. “Lights that bright mean stores and businesses, and hey, if all else fails, we can get something at a supermarket. Anything works at this point, right?”

“Fine.” Fakir grabbed his suitcase again. “We'll go.”

“Yeah, we will.” Ahiru took hold of hers too. “And we'll find something. I just know it.”

“Really now.” Fakir yanked his suitcase off the grass and back onto the park's stone path. “Are you psychic, then?”

“No, I just know cities better than you do. _And_ I have hope.”

Fakir gave her a sidelong look, and then went back to focusing on the path ahead. “That must be nice,” he said after a moment or two.

Ahiru opened her mouth to say something, but then changed her mind and stayed quiet. It was really getting dark now, the sun barely visible in the sky and the shadows lengthening across the ground, blending into one massive, misshapen entity. It reminded Ahiru uncomfortably of the way the darkness had closed in around her and Mytho last night, stealing him away from her. She shivered and tugged her coat more tightly around her with her free hand. The fact that they were passing through an area where the trees and bushes were thick on both sides didn't help either—the park had lamps that had already gone on, but the tall trees served to block out the light, which was flickering anyway. Up ahead, off to the side of the path, she could see what looked like a small playground for kids. No one was around, but the swings were swaying a little, as if it was windy up there.

And then someone stepped out from behind the slide.

At first, Ahiru thought it was hard to see them because it was so dark, but then she realized that that wasn't the only reason. The person, as they walked towards her and Fakir, was wearing all black, making them blend in with the deepening shadows. It looked like a long cloak, but it was hard to tell. And not only that, but they had a mask on as well. When the person passed under a lamppost, she got a better look at it, and gasped, freezing in her tracks. What they had on... it strongly resembled a plague doctor's mask, only it covered their whole head, giving them the appearance of a bird. The cawing laughter she'd heard in her room last night echoed in her head, and she couldn't bring herself to move.

“Ahiru?” Fakir had stopped walking too, and was frowning. “What's wrong?”

“That... that... that p-person...” She pointed in their direction. “S-something's not—”

“Are you the girl that seeks the prince at the ends of the earth?” The cloaked person had nearly reached them now; she saw Fakir start in surprise at the sound of their voice, low and deep like a funeral bell.

“The—what?” Ahiru blinked. “What are you talking about?”

“Do you seek to enter the castle that lies east of the sun and west of the moon?” The horrible voice seemed to come from very far away, and yet also way too close for comfort. “Answer me.”

“I—” Ahiru glanced at Fakir. She couldn't tell what he was thinking. “Wh-what happens if I say yes?”

“Then you die.”

Without giving her another chance to answer, the stranger drew a sword, quick as a flash. The dim, flickering light of the nearby streetlamp glinted off the sharp, nasty-looking blade for a second before the person flew at her, the eyes behind the mask seeming to glow bright red in the gloom. It was the last thing Ahiru saw before Fakir grabbed her and forcefully shoved her away, sending her flying face-first into some nearby bushes. She threw her arms up to protect her face just in time, and mostly avoided being scratched, but now she was stuck, more or less, the thorny branches clinging to her coat.

“Fakir!” Ahiru shouted as she struggled to free herself. He didn't answer, and her empty stomach roiled with fear and nausea. Her back was to where he and the stranger were, so she couldn't see anything, but she could hear the sound of that awful sword being swung, and hitting rock, and—oh God, had that been Fakir yelling out in pain? No matter how angry she was at him, she'd never forgive herself if something happened to him because of her. She tried to get a look over her shoulder, but it was too dark, her vision too obscured. For all she knew, Fakir might be lying there hurt, the person in the mask closing in on her with that wicked blade. Ahiru fought even harder, not caring if the thorns ruined her coat, as other noises she couldn't identify went on somewhere behind her. There was something that sounded like metal breaking, clattering on stone, followed a few seconds later by a loud thump, as of something much heavier hitting the ground. Propelled by terror, Ahiru undid her coat and ripped out of it, struggling to free her arms from the sleeves as she turned around and stumbled out of the bushes. She pushed her wayward hair from her sweaty forehead, looking wildly in every direction for where the two had gone and what had happened.

She saw her attacker first. They were crumpled on the ground, beside the broken remnants of their sword, and their head—oh God, no one could bend their neck into an angle like _that_ , not while they were still alive. Ahiru shuddered and looked up, at the person standing over them. The person who'd killed them. It was—

“Fakir?” Ahiru whispered. No, it couldn't be—this person looked different, at least in this strange, flickering light, with the sun setting behind them, they—they looked like a—and Fakir was—

“Ahiru?”

That he knew her name confirmed it. So did his eyes, as he lifted his head to look at her. Yes. This was Fakir. He was alive. He was safe.

But he wasn't human.

 


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Beta-read by [letters_of_stars](http://archiveofourown.org/users/letters_of_stars/pseuds/letters_of_stars).

Ahiru’s mouth dropped open, but her words and voice had both escaped her. All she could do was stare. Behind Fakir, the sun hung heavy and low in the orange-streaked sky, and her eyes would've watered if she'd looked directly at it. She couldn't, though—she was too busy looking at Fakir himself silhouetted against that sky, the shock of the sight freezing her in place.

 _He wasn't human_. The words echoed through her brain, over and over. The overall shape of his body hadn't changed, he hadn't sprouted wings or horns or anything, but he didn't need anything that drastic to make it obvious. His hair had come undone, and transformed into masses of slender, slightly serrated green leaves. If she knew trees a little better, she'd probably be able to identify them, but she couldn't. His face, illuminated by the nearest streetlamp, was—well, it was like someone had made a perfect replica of him out of a block of wood, carving every line of his face into the surface, but the carvings shifted as Fakir heaved in breath and the creases between his eyes grew deeper when he frowned. It was wholly inhuman and a little bit eerie, like a statue come to life, but unmistakably him. Especially his eyes—they were set a bit deeper into his face in this form, and had a glassy look to them, kinda like hardened tree sap, but were the same beautiful forest green she knew so well by now, and glowed slightly, adding some extra light to his face. They darted from side to side, then held her gaze for a moment before he blinked and stumbled backwards, clutching his coat even more tightly around him, and turned to scurry off.

Ahiru blinked at the empty space where he’d stood three seconds ago, and then startled and took after him. “Fakir, no! Wait!” Ahiru stumbled along the grass. “Come back—talk to me about this! Fakir, you're—you're—”

He wasn't human. He was fae, and had hidden it from her all this time, ever since they'd met. He'd let her assume he was human every time it came up in conversation, without correcting her, doing his best to keep it under wraps. And that forest-like smell in the library, on the train, that must've been his magic, and he'd freaked out when she'd mentioned it to him, he'd tried even harder to hide it, that was what he'd been keeping secret from her, he'd—

… of course he'd hidden it. All she had to do to understand why was think back to what Freya had told her about existing as fae among humans, or remember how the people in her hometown, including her mother, viewed fae and did all they could to make them feel unwanted. Put that together with how the girls who Mytho had chosen before her had treated the staff, and her own idiocy in just assuming Fakir was human based on his appearance, and not only that but stating it as a reason they could become friends… well, who wouldn't have kept it a secret?

“Yeah.” Fakir stopped and turned to face her, still tensed to run. “I am. Half, anyway.”

So, he was like Freya after all. A half fae. Ahiru’s stomach churned. “Half... what?” She swallowed. “Like, exactly which...”

“Dryad.” His voice was different in this form, thin and papery, like leaves being rustled by a gentle wind. His retreat had led them both to a slightly more open area, near a picnic table littered with trash. A streetlight shone bright above them, sending strange shadows across Fakir’s face and making it hard to read his expression. “Tree spirits, if you've never heard of them.”

“Oh.” She wasn't sure what else to say just yet. Fakir's eyes were still darting around, as if he was looking for an escape route, and without that faint glow she wouldn't have been able to see their color at all, what with how dilated his pupils were, to the point that the irises almost vanished. “S-so you've... I mean... you... why'd you—”

“Why did I hide it?” His eyes narrowed. “Can't you figure—” He paused, and in the odd light some of the color seemed to drain from his face. “Figure that... out... f-for...” Fakir swayed slightly, his breathing suddenly harsh and loud, and then his legs folded up beneath him as he collapsed to the ground, grasping at his coat with shaking fingers.

“Fakir! Oh my God, what's wrong?” Ahiru started forward. “Are you okay?”

“I'm fine.” He squeezed his eyes shut and took a couple deep breaths as he angled his body away. “Just—just tired, don't—don't worry about me...”

“No, you're not!” Ahiru shook her head. “Something's really wrong, I can tell—just—”

“ _Get away from me!_ ” he barked as she moved closer to him, his voice rough and brittle; Ahiru froze in place as if he'd slapped her. “Just... _stay away_...”

“Fakir, I...” Ahiru blinked rapidly, her lower lip starting to wobble. “Why are you... I just... I'm just worried about you, why do you have to yell at me like that? Did—did I do something wrong?”

“No, I—you didn't—just...” Fakir breathed heavily, and swallowed a few times as if trying not to throw up. “I didn't want you to... I never...” He closed his eyes again. “You weren't supposed to—to see me like this...” His voice broke.

“Like wh—oh, oh, you mean...” Ahiru bit her lip. “In this... form?” She winced. “I mean—sorry, sorry if that's not the right word to use...”

“No, it's... it's fine. And yeah, I...” Fakir's shoulders hunched, and he turned his head away, seemingly staring at the little pond in the distance. The wind picked up, and Ahiru saw the surface of the water ripple violently. “This wasn't... you weren't supposed to... to ever see this.”

“... I understand.” Ahiru wrapped her arms around herself, suddenly feeling the cold more acutely without her coat on. “So... how come... how come I am?”

“I didn't have a choice. If I'd had a weapon, things would've been different, but this was the only way to defend us. I'm physically stronger like this. But he was faster, so...” Fakir shook his head. “It's my fault I have to stay like this, if I hadn't been careless...” He trailed off, shuddering, and pressed a hand to his mouth as if he really was about to be sick, letting go of his coat and allowing it to fall open.

“Careless? What do you—oh!” Now Ahiru finally saw it—the rip in Fakir's clothes, starting at his right shoulder and going diagonally down across his chest, stopping at his stomach. And beneath his ruined shirt and vest, a long, deep cut that looked like the lines people had carved into the pixie tree back in Twin Pines. So it _had_ been Fakir shouting in pain! “Oh my God! Fakir! Oh—oh no, oh no, oh God...”

She rushed over to kneel at his side and reached out for him, intent on checking his wound, but he flinched away, moving just out of reach with jerky, unsteady motions that stopped before he could get too far away from her. “No.” He shook his head. “Don't.”

“Oh... I...” Ahiru let her hands fall uselessly onto her knees as she sat back, her shoulders slumping. “Sorry...”

Fakir frowned, his brows drawing together. They looked like strips of moss growing on his face. “What are you apologizing for?”

“For trying to touch you without asking first, that was...” Ahiru dropped her gaze to the ground between them. “That wasn't cool of me. Sorry.”

“... No.” Fakir said finally, after a pause. Somewhere nearby, an owl hooted softly from up in one of the many trees in the area. “It's... not that.”

“Huh?” Whether it was the lighting or the texture of his face, she couldn’t read his expression at all. “What is it, then?”

“It's—it's just...” He looked down at himself, and pulled his coat protectively over his injured chest again. “You shouldn't...” His voice dropped to a whisper and he trailed off, shaking his head.

“I shouldn't what?” Ahiru leaned closer, just enough so she could better hear him. “Fakir, what is it? Please tell me what's bothering you, I need to know so I don't do anything to accidentally hurt you.”

“I...” Fakir opened his mouth, and let it hang open for a moment before closing it. A few seconds passed, and then he gave a small shake of his head, the leaves of his hair rustling. “It's not that... that you'd... it's just...” He sucked in a sharp breath and then exhaled, like all his strength was being sent out with his words. “I don't want... I don't think you ought to be touching a... a _thing_ like me.”

There was so much disgust packed into that one word that it hit Ahiru like a blow to the stomach, knocking the wind out of her for a horrible second before she recovered enough to gape at him. “Wh- _what?_ ” she managed after a moment. “But you're not a thing, you're a person! Don't say shit like that!”

Fakir didn't answer at first. But then his hand darted out and grabbed her wrist, with fingers that felt like rough, scaly bark, and pressed her palm to his cheek. “Is _this_ what a person feels like to you?”

His face was as smooth and hard as a polished wooden surface, completely unlike his fingers, but Ahiru nodded fiercely without any hesitation. “Yeah, of course it is! If this is what you feel like, then yes, because you’re a person and it doesn’t matter if you’re fae or human or whatever, you’re still a person!”

Her words hung in the air for a long, long, moment. Fakir's mouth opened slightly, but he didn't say anything. Slowly, though, his eyes became less wide, the pupils losing some of their dilation and making his irises easier to see. Their glow flickered a little as the look in them became a mixture of uncertainty and disbelief. Several seconds passed, during which they just stared at each other, Ahiru waiting for him to say something and Fakir just holding her gaze with an expression she didn't quite understand flitting across his carven face. Finally, after what felt like forever, he let go of her, his hand seeming to shake a little before he released hers. “... I get it now.”

Ahiru tilted her head. “You get what now?”

“I—” Fakir paused, swallowing rapidly and breathing fast through his nose. “Can I... can I talk about it some other time, I... my body is working to heal the damage, and it makes me dizzy and nauseated while it does.” He shuddered again, and leaned his head against his knees. “But it'll be done soon, and then I can change back to—to how you're used to seeing me.” He took a few more deep breaths. “Sorry for the delay, I just...”

“No, don't apologize, you didn't do anything wrong.” Ahiru shook her head and squeezed his shoulder. It was like—kind of like trying to squeeze a banister. “You got hurt protecting me, how shitty would it be if I got mad that we had to wait here while you recovered? I'm just glad you're gonna be okay, I mean... you could've...” Her voice broke as everything came crashing down on her like a tidal wave. “You—you could've _died_ , we _both_ could've, he wanted...” She let go of him and turned away, burying her face in her hands, her whole body trembling uncontrollably. “Oh my God... he wanted to _kill_ me...” The body on the ground with its neck all twisted up, the scratch of thorns across her skin and the blood they'd drawn, little pearls of red dripping down her face and arms, the shine of the sword as the stranger swung it into view... it'd all happened so fast, but now that the shock was wearing off, everything was replaying itself in her head in horrible detail, making her feel just as sick as he seemed to be right now. “He... he could've...”

Fakir cleared his throat and very quietly reminded her,“I wouldn't have let him.”

Ahiru sniffed and wiped her nose on her arm. “I know. I mean... you risked me finding out, and you got hurt, just for...” Ahiru sniffled again and tried to beat back the urge to cry. “Why?”

“Why?” She looked over to see him staring incredulously at her from behind a curtain of leaves. “Is that—do you really think that little of me, that I'd just let you die?”

“Well, you don't really have much reason to keep me alive, do you?” She stared down at the grass between them, her vision blurred by tears. “You've never liked me, and now you blame me for us being out here at all, having to rescue Mytho...”

“I...” Fakir paused. “No.” He shook his head, making his leaves rustle. “I don't think we should go into all that, not now, not here. But... you should at least know that none of that would make me stand by and let you die. Whatever else I am, I'm not that heartless.”

“It's not that I think you're heartless, just...” Ahiru wiped at her eyes. “I wouldn't blame you for... for not... I don't know... especially after I called you u-useless...” She choked back a sob. She was going to cry after all, apparently. “That-that was... that was really fucked up and mean, I can't believe I... I'm so sorry, I... if anyone's useless here it's me, I'm the worst...”

“No, you're not.” Fakir shook his head again. His voice changed, sounding a little creaky, as if he wanted to cheer her up but didn't know how.“You got us this far, didn't you? That's not useless.”

“Yeah, I got us lost!” Ahiru glared down at her shoes through her tears. “Big deal!”

“After finding Charon. That's more than I did until now.”

“And what you did got you hurt!” Ahiru hugged her knees to her chest, and tried to hide her face against her pants. “ _Badly_ hurt! Because of _me!_ ”

“I'm going to be fine.” His voice further softened, sounding now like the flutter of pages turning in an old book. It was kinda soothing. “If I was fully human, a slash like that would've killed me, but because I can take on this form I'll recover quickly and be left with nothing but a scar. Guess there's some advantages to being a freak after all.”

He said it lightly, as if it was meant to be a joke to lighten her mood, but Ahiru thought she could hear real pain buried beneath it, and it broke her heart. “Don't—don't say that...” She swallowed hard past the lump in her throat. “Maybe I don't have the right to say this to you, cause I'm a human, but... you're not a freak. At least, that's not how _I_ see you.”

“... No. It's... you're entitled to your opinion.” Fakir cleared his throat. “Anyway, I... I think I'm good to go now. I’ve healed enough. Do you mind turning away while I change back? I'm not really comfortable letting you see that.”

“Of course.” Ahiru swiveled her whole body around and covered her eyes for good measure. “Take your time, I won't turn around til you're ready.”

“... Thanks.” She heard him inhale deeply, and as he exhaled, the familiar, woodsy scent she knew so well from her days in the library rose around them. It should've comforted her, but right now it just made her want to cry more for some reason. Several more seconds ticked by, and then, sounding more like she was used to him sounding, Fakir spoke. “Alright. You can turn around now.”

“Okay.” Ahiru lowered her hands and turned. Fakir was back to looking human again, just like she was used to, except his hair was untied and his skin looked a little washed-out. He'd also buttoned up his coat over his wound. The coat itself was ripped a bit at the shoulder, but since it'd been open when the sword had sliced into him, most of the clothing damage was hidden, along with the scar he presumably had from it. “You feel okay to keep going now? We really should, you need to eat something.”

“So do you,” Fakir pointed out. “It's been just as long since _you_ ate.”

“Yeah, but you're the one who just got hurt and had to heal.” Ahiru shook her head and stood up. “Do you need me to help you up? Or to take a few more minutes to sit?”

“No, I think I can manage.” Something flickered in Fakir's eyes. “Don't worry about me.”

“Okay, well, I'll leave you to it, but take it slow. I'm gonna go back and get our suitcases and my coat.” And try to do something about the body, maybe. Ahiru gulped. What the hell _were_ they supposed to do about _that?_ Years of watching TV and movies should've prepared for the moment when she'd have to hide a dead body, or at least Lilie’s imagination should have, but it really hadn't. Her whole brain was locking up. Should she try to drag it into the bushes? Phone the cops with an anonymous tip once her phone had charged up a little? Leave it? Dump it into the pond back there, assuming it was deep enough? Oh shit, and what about fingerprints? Shit shit shit, this could get really bad, really fast. And there were no witnesses, and _Fakir's_ fingerprints were probably already on the corpse, assuming he could leave them in his dryad form, so if they got caught how could they make anyone believe they'd been attacked first, instead of being random serial killers? Okay, maybe the giant sword, but had Fakir snapped the guy's neck just by swinging at him in dryad form? How could they explain that? Fuuuuuuck, fuck this, so many awful realities about this kind of situation that nothing she'd ever read or watched had remotely prepared her for. Ahiru quickened her steps, hoping that no one had already come by and discovered the body like in the opening to one of the many police procedurals Paulamoni loved to watch.

She was in for a bit of a surprise when she got there, though. Their attacker's cloak and broken sword were still there, along with the mask, but the body itself had just... faded away. Or disintegrated? It was hard to tell in the dim light, but there seemed to be some kind of dust on the cloak. For a minute or so Ahiru just stared at it. Then she took a few tentative steps in that direction before stopping, shaking her head, and hurrying over to the abandoned suitcases instead. A quick search of one of the outer pockets produced a pair of mittens she'd brought along in case it got really cold. Not ideal, but it'd do. She yanked them on, zipped up the suitcase again, and then returned to her assailant's remains, such as they were. She gingerly wrapped mask and broken sword—taking care that she didn't cut herself on the blade—up in the cloak. The mittens made it kind of awkward, but she managed, and when she was done Ahiru carried the grim little bundle over to where her coat was still stuck in the bushes, and shoved it down into the brambles, hiding it as well as she could. She then retrieved her coat, put it on, and dashed back to where they'd left their luggage on the path when they'd gotten attacked. It was a bit of a struggle to pull both along with her, but she managed, and Fakir was standing up by the time she returned to his side. He looked a little shaky still, but at least he was on his feet. “Alright, ready to go? I'll take your suitcase for now, and I don't want to argue about it, so don't even bother, it's the least I can do after you saved my life.”

“...Hmph. Fine.” He said it grudgingly, like he _wanted_ to argue, but knew she was right and that he shouldn't push himself. “And yeah. We can go now.”

“Okay. If you need to stop and rest, though, you can.”

“I'm _fine_.” Fakir exhaled sharply. “It'll take me a day or so to fully recover, but I at least have enough strength to make it out of here. Can you just trust that I know my own limits by now?”

“Yeah, of course.” Ahiru looked down, kicking at the dead grass and scattering some dirt around. “Sorry.”

“It's alright.” He rubbed at his forehead. “Let's just go.”

They set off. Fakir walked slower than he had earlier in the day, slow enough that Ahiru didn't have any problem keeping up with him this time. He was steady on his feet, and didn't lose his balance, but she kept a close eye on him nevertheless as they crossed the remainder of the park. Luckily, there was an exit not too far away, and just across the street was a Burger King, with a Motel 6 right next to it. Ahiru couldn't help sighing in relief. “Finally! I knew there had to be something nearby, now we can eat and charge my phone and have a place to stay. I just hope they'll have two roo—”

“No.” She looked over from pressing the crosswalk button to see Fakir slowly shaking his head. “One room.” Some color made it back into his cheeks, but it was a blush. “I—I know that might sound—sound weird, but—but I think it's also safer, after what happened... if someone else tries to come after you, I should—we shouldn't be separated.”

“No, I—I agree. You're right.” Ahiru felt herself blushing too. “It really is safer.”

She didn't know what else to say besides that, but it was time to cross, so she didn't have to. There weren't many cars waiting for them to finish doing that, but all the same it felt more than a little awkward to know that they were all watching her drag two suitcases while the guy next to her didn't carry anything or try to help. Her face burned. Did they think Fakir was some kinda lazy jerk making her do everything herself? She hoped not. Sure, they'd never meet these people, most likely, but she hated the thought that Fakir was getting judged when they had no idea what he'd just gone through for her.

Thankfully, it wasn't too crowded inside the Burger King. Ahiru scanned it quickly, then made her way over to a booth far away from where everyone else had clumped, close to the restrooms. “Here.” She shoved the suitcases as far under the table as she could, all the way to the far end. “Just sit here, I'll go order us some food. Do you know what you want?”

“How should I? I've never been here before.” Despite the snarky remark, Fakir still looked and sounded a little off, and seemed to sag in relief when he sat down on one of the benches. “Just... get me whatever.” He waved a hand weakly before starting to dig in his pockets for something, scowling when he came up empty. “I don't care that much at this point.”

“Alright.” Ahiru grabbed her purse and hurried back to join the line, considering the menu as she waited. It wasn't her favorite fast food place, but after all they'd been through today it'd probably taste like four-star dining. What to get Fakir, though? She didn't know a whole lot about his food preferences, but if he was picky about something he'd probably have said so. Additionally, despite not knowing jack about fae or half-fae biology, it seemed like a safe bet that the rapid healing he'd just undergone had drained him, and he'd need some major calorie intake to replenish himself. So she'd get him a bunch of food, and if he didn't finish it all, well, not like it cost much. Or that she had to keep careful track of her food budget anymore, come to think of it.

She returned with a tray loaded down with food, condiments and extra napkins. Fakir raised an eyebrow at the sheer amount, and probably also at the fact that she'd managed to carry it back by herself without spilling. “That's... a lot of food.”

“Yeah, cause I'm guessing you really need to eat up after—after what a day you've had.” Ahiru sat down across from him and started dividing everything up. “Am I right?”

“... Yeah.” Fakir tucked as much of his hair behind his ears as he could—maybe that was what he'd tried and failed to find in his pockets just now, something to tie it back with—and then started to unwrap one of the double cheeseburgers she'd gotten him. “You are.”

“I thought so.” Ahiru stared down at her own meal, her appetite momentarily gone. Not only from what he'd just said, but his words from earlier were finally sinking in too. Had he... gone through something like this before? The way he worded things made her think he had. “So... eat up.”

She expected some kind of annoyed response to that, but Fakir just did what she said and started eating. Ahiru took a minute or so to push the awful thought of him getting hurt like this before out of her head, and then dug in too. Unsurprisingly, it really did taste amazing after so long without food. What _was_ surprising was that Fakir finished everything she'd gotten for him, even the slice of pie. His face regained its normal color as he ate, which helped her relax and calmed her stomach so that she could eat all of her own meal. When they were done, she disposed of the trash, gave her face a quick clean in the bathroom, and returned to find Fakir standing beside their booth, suitcase in hand.

“I can drag it next door to a motel room,” he said, just as she opened her mouth to protest. “Really, I'm a lot better now that I've eaten. Take yours, and let's go.”

“Well... okay...” Ahiru retrieved her own suitcase from under the table. “Do you need anything else before we go?”

Fakir shook his head. “No. I'm good. And I'd like to get inside as soon as possible anyway.” He cast a significant glance towards the window, and the dark night outside.

“... Yeah.” Ahiru nodded, his meaning not lost on her. “Good idea.”

Even though it was only a short walk over to the Motel 6, Ahiru couldn't help but look around nervously in every direction, in case there was another masked attacker in the area. Thankfully, no one jumped out of the shadows to accost them, and they safely reached the lobby. It was a little dingy inside, and the overhead lights flickered, but at this point she really didn't care. They had a room with two full beds available, so Ahiru booked it for a single night. She didn't see them staying longer than that, after all, unless this Charon guy had an emergency and closed Hidden Gems for the day. Where they'd go next after that she didn't know, but hopefully the guy would be able to point them on their way, like Fakir seemed to think he would.

It wasn't the most attractive room, what with that loud orange wall and the scratched-up old floor, not to mention that the lamps flickered and gave a weird glow to it all. There wasn't a fridge either. But it was clean, and smelled fine. That was good enough for one night.

“Which bed do you want?” Ahiru asked, dragging her suitcase over to the corner and out of their way.

“I don't think it really matters.” Fakir dragged a hand through his hair. “Both are vulnerable if someone tries to break in.”

“Yeah, I guess.” Ahiru looked between both of them. “Do you care about being closer to the bathroom, then?”

“Not really. Do you?”

“I don't either, just—” Ahiru took a deep breath. Back home with Pike and Lilie, who got the bed nearer the bathroom would definitely be a point of contention. “Look, just go ahead and pick one, I think you're more tired than I am, so...”

“You paid for the room, so _you_ decide.” Fakir unzipped his suitcase and rummaged around in it, retrieving a couple things before closing it up again. “ _I'm_ going to go take a shower, if you don't mind.”

“No, that's fine, it's just...” Ahiru sighed as Fakir closed the door in her face. “Whatever...” After everything that'd happened, she'd wanted to let him pick where he slept as a gesture of... something, but he obviously didn't care enough and seemed to be kinda cranky anyway. Oh well, that was fine, he still wasn't feeling one hundred percent, and he was cranky all the time anyway. Ahiru shrugged and headed over to grab the remote and flop down on the bed further away from the bathroom. He'd said he didn't care, but it seemed like it'd probably be better for him to not have to walk as far to his bed after getting out of the shower. If what he was going through was anything like being sick, he might wind up being a little drained again.

She flipped through channels until she found something acceptable to watch, then went over to her suitcase to find some pajamas of her own to change into. A shower right now would probably feel nice, but she honestly just didn't feel like it. Not like she couldn't do that in the morning, anyway. Ahiru dug around until she found something, changed into it, and then got her phone charging. She then went back to sitting on her bed, half-watching the TV while she combed and braided her hair, and thought about the day she'd had.

To be honest, it'd sucked. Let’s see...it'd started with Mytho's abduction, and then had only gotten worse with Fakir being so angry at her, and their awkward train trip, and the disaster that was getting to that guy's office too late and then getting lost and hungry and even crankier with each other. And now... well. Ahiru stared down at the comb in her hand. Fakir being half-fae wasn't a bad thing, just a shock, and the way in which she'd found out wasn't the way either of them would've wanted, what with that masked stranger trying to kill her and all. Hell, if Fakir hadn't transformed, he really would've died. Ahiru's hands shook at that thought, and it was all she could do not to curl up in a ball under the sheets and start crying. It didn't matter how mad she'd been at him earlier, or how much he'd been hiding from her all this time, she still didn't want anything to happen to him.

And honestly... didn't he have the right to hide being half-fae from her? Sure, he could've and probably _should've_ been more forthcoming about other stuff, stuff to do with Mytho, but his own heritage? That was personal, and she more than understood the reasons why he would've kept quiet. Thinking about _that_ made her want to cry too. No, she couldn't be mad at him for hiding it from her. Not one bit.

She was so distracted by her thoughts about it all that she'd only just barely finished braiding her hair when the water shut off. Ahiru wiped at her eyes, hurriedly tied her hair, and concentrated on pretending to focus on the TV show she'd been tuning out for the last ten minutes or so. When Fakir finally emerged, patting his hair dry with a towel, she stole a glance at him. He avoided her gaze, but she managed to see that his coloring looked normal, which was good, but his eyes seemed a little red. He'd also forgotten a shirt in his haste to get in the shower, but his raised arms and the towel draped over his head and shoulders mostly obscured her view of his wound. “Hey... you feeling okay? I mean, when I'm sick I get a little weak after taking a shower, and I thought this might be like that for you...”

“I'm fine.” Fakir sat down on the bed, turning his body away from her to further hide his bare torso. “Don't worry about me.”

“I can't help it. And...” She stood up and walked over to him. “What about your—your wound? Is it okay? It's not gonna get infected, is it?”

“No, it's not going to get infected. It...” He hesitated, and then turned around to face her. “Here. Look.” Fakir took the towel off and lowered his arms so she could get a full look at him. He averted his eyes, though, staring down at the towel in his hands. “It... closed up already. See?”

“Yeah, I see...” Ahiru nodded. It was true, the wound was closed up completely. So completely that the scar looked like it'd been there a lot longer than just an hour or so. The sight of it still put a lump in her throat and an ache in her heart, though, since she knew exactly how he'd gotten it. It wasn't like he was some new boyfriend she was ogling, with an untold story about the mysterious old scar on his chest, he was her—well, she still wanted to be friends with him, so maybe she could call him that, and he'd gotten that scar just tonight, protecting her from some goon that wanted to kill her. It _hurt_ to see him like this, there was nothing remotely titillating about it. It'd gone a deep purple, making it look like a very long bruise. She couldn't even imagine how horrible it must've felt when it happened. “Is it... are you still in pain?”

“It's a little sore.” Fakir twisted the end of the towel between his fingers, his gaze still fixed on his lap. He'd put a hair tie around his wrist, Ahiru noticed. “No big deal, though. Nothing to worry about.”

“If you say so.” Ahiru clasped her hands together behind her back, so tightly that her nails dug into her skin. “I mean, I don't know anything about—about that kinda stuff, so if you're really alright and you know it'll be fine, I trust you, I just... I don't want anything to happen to you, especially with—with how you got it. Y'know?”

“... Yeah.” Setting the towel aside, he got up and went over to his suitcase, where he started rummaging around again.“I know. But... it really is fine. I'm fine. You don't have to worry.” He pulled a shirt out and put it on before returning to his bed and starting to dry his hair some more.

“Okay.” There didn't seem to be any point in saying that it was easier said than done. Ahiru went back to her bed and sat down. The show she'd put on earlier was over by now, but he wouldn't know that, so she left the TV on. She stared at the screen for a few minutes, not really watching, until she finally felt ready. Ahiru took a deep breath. “Fakir, I... I'm sorry.”

“For what?” Out of the corner of her eye, she saw his hands still on his hair.

“For a lot of stuff. I mean... where do I begin?” She let out a mirthless little laugh. “Like, I assumed so much about you right from the start, like that you were human, and I made you think that I only wanted to be friends cause of that assumption... no wonder you didn't want me to know the truth.” She tugged the end of her braid loose, and retied it twice with shaking fingers.“You probably felt really bad, and—and afraid of what I'd do if I found out, and I don't blame you, but...” She swallowed hard. “I didn't mean to hurt you, but it doesn't matter. I'm sorry, Fakir.”

There was a full minute of silence before Fakir said anything. “So you're...” He paused again. “You're not... angry at me for hiding it from you?”

“Not even a little.” Ahiru shook her head. “I mean, I know that’s something you might want to keep private from people, especially humans you don’t know. So especially someone like me. But then I still hurt you by assuming…”

“... Actually, it... wasn't that bad.”

“What?” Ahiru turned to stare at him, but his face was hidden behind the towel. “What do you mean?”

“It was... well, it didn't feel that great in general, but in a way it was also...” He stretched his fingers out, seeming to stare at his own hands. “It was almost... nice. To be able to pretend for a while that I really was human. That I was normal, like you.”

Ahiru's throat tightened, making her words come out choked and barely audible. “Don't... say it like—like that...”

“It let me almost forget that I'm not,” Fakir said, and smiled a little in a self-deprecating fashion. He took the towel off, and reached up behind his head to tie his hair back. “But then that feeling would go away, and I'd remember what I really am. And that because of what I am, I don't have a family to go home to the way you do.”

Ahiru froze. For several seconds she couldn't breathe, feeling like the wind had been knocked out of her. Fakir still wasn't looking at her, and she couldn't read his expression. She took a deep breath... and then her face crumpled as tears started to fill her eyes. “Fakir, I... oh God... I'm so sorry...”

“Mytho took me in after—when no one else would.” His voice wavered a little and he coughed to clear his throat. “That's why... why I have to do whatever I can to save him.”

“Yeah, from what I did...” Ahiru clapped her hand over her mouth and turned away. She couldn't bear to look at Fakir right now, not because of what he'd told her, but because of what she'd done. “It... it really is my fault, I'm so sorry, I... I fucked up...”

“... Yeah. You did. But... not alone.” Fakir sighed. “I'm sorry too. You were right. I could've told you more, but I didn't. I didn't give you the information you needed to keep you from doing what you did. This is partly my fault as well.”

“You tried, though.” Ahiru grabbed a tissue from the box on the nightstand table. “And I just... I blew you off and I didn't listen and I did the thing anyway.”

“... But I didn't.”

“What?” Ahiru paused in the middle of wiping at her eyes. “You didn't what?”

“Didn't try.” Fakir's face contorted for a second, in what looked like hatred. “Not hard enough, anyway. Because I'm that much of a selfish, short-sighted asshole.”

She frowned. “What do you mean?”

“I didn't want you to do it.” Fakir let his breath out in a loud huff. “I didn't want any of you—you or those other girls, that is—to do it. To save him. I wanted it to be me. I thought... I saw you all as interlopers. And I thought that _I_ should be the one to save him, because I needed to repay him for what he'd done for me. I didn't understand why he didn't ask me for help.”

“Well... I mean...” Ahiru stared at the floor without really seeing it, remembering how bizarre and frightening it'd been, those first few nights with what she'd thought was a stranger in her bed. “The way he was... with me... maybe that was the only way, and...”

“Maybe. Actually, it most likely was. But I didn't want to believe that back then.” Fakir shook his head and sighed again. “So I spent every waking minute I could on trying to research some other way of breaking the curse. I thought there had to be _something_ in that huge library that could help. And meanwhile, those other girls came and went, and I didn't think any of them would be able to break it, and that was okay with me, as long as they never looked. And since Mytho and the rest of the staff had taken measures to make sure they couldn't, I didn't see any danger.”

“Measures?” Ahiru blinked. “Is—is that why I never saw any candles anywhere?”

“Yeah.” Fakir nodded. “He knew electronics wouldn't work, so he didn't need to do anything about that, but candles were a threat, so he had Raetsel and some of the others clear out everything. So it seemed safe, especially since the other girls all just left, instead of wanting to go home for a visit.”

“Until me.” Her eyes burned, and she wiped at them with the back of her hand. “I really wanted to try and stay as long as I could, so I could help Mytho, so I made it just be a visit home instead of leaving forever... but I stupidly listened to my mom.”

“Which is my fault, because I didn't give you a better warning before you left.” Fakir made a noise of disgust. “I could've, you know. But I didn't. I think... I think I just... thought you wouldn't believe me. You didn't have a reason to trust me. And I didn't know how to bring up that I knew there was a person you couldn't see, sleeping in your bed every night. So instead of making a real effort, I just gave you some vague bullshit and got mad at you when, surprise, surprise, that didn't work.”

“And now Mytho's paying the price.” Ahiru crumpled up the tissue and threw it towards the wastebasket. It missed by about an inch. “Because your warning sucked and I got too curious.”

“Exactly. We both played a part in this. Which is why we'll have to work together to fix it.” He laid back on the bed, staring at the ceiling. “If you can stand to be around me, that is,” he added, his voice quiet and yet brimming with self-loathing.

“Fakir, I...” Ahiru swallowed. “Okay, I don't know exactly what you mean by that, but... okay, first off, I'm definitely not mad at you, alright? Like, yeah, you could've told me more before I left to visit my family, but I made mistakes too, and we've both apologized, and I want to put it behind us and just focus on saving Mytho. And as for you being half-fae... that doesn't bother me either. Like I said, I get why you hid that, and come on, you _know_ I'm really good friends with Freya, why would I be put off cause you're half-fae too?”

Fakir didn't answer. For a few minutes, all Ahiru could hear was the low drone of the TV she'd left on. It was just starting to get awkward when Fakir finally spoke again. “... Did you ever suspect?”

“Did I—what? No.” Ahiru turned to look at him. He had his hands folded atop his stomach, the one with the scar on it in full view. “Why do you ask?”

“Curiosity, I guess.” He shrugged. “And... sometimes I wondered. If you noticed anything weird about me that you couldn't explain. If I was giving myself away despite trying to hide it.”

“I don't think so.” Ahiru hugged her knees to herself. “I mean, okay, the whole library smells like your magic, I know that _now_ , but before today I guess I just... assumed it was some kinda air freshener or something, like a fae version of a Glade Plug-in.”

“A... what?” Fakir frowned. “What the hell's that?”

“A Plug-in? Pretty much what it sounds like, a thingy you plug into an outlet with like, scented oil in it, and the electricity warms it up and makes the room smell all nice.” Ahiru yawned. “Point is, I had a reason not to think anything of the smell, and I don't think you did anything else that would've tipped me off.”

“I did that first day.” Fakir shifted slightly. “Remember what I said to you later, about being told where you were, when I chased you?”

“... Yeah.Yeah, I remember that.” How could she forget? It'd bugged her so much for _ages_ , how he'd just somehow _known_ where she was and which way she was turning, to the point where he'd even gotten ahead of her as she tried to get away from him. Without her seeing him even _once_ til then! _So_ creepy. He'd explained it away by saying he'd been following directions, but... now he seemed to be saying there was more to it than that? Ahiru scooted forward, suddenly feeling more alert. “What about it? Did you actually cast a spell or something?”

“Not in the way you're thinking, more like...” He lifted his right hand, the scarred one, and waved it around. “I listened. To the books. Their pages haven't been trees in a long time, but they still have voices. And because of what I am I can hear them.”

“...Oh.” Ahiru's eyes went wide. “That... that's...”

“Weird. I know.” He shut his eyes and turned his head away. “You don't have to tell me.”

“No, I think it's cool, actually!” She shrank a little as he turned back to look at her again, his eyebrows raised in disbelief. “I mean... unless it's not okay for me to say that? But it also explains a lot, like not just how you found me, but how you're so good at reshelving them where they should be. Cause they tell you where they go, right?”

“... Yeah.” He nodded slightly.

“I thought so. That probably makes it easier. And honestly, I'd...” Ahiru stopped, and bit her lip. “No, that's... I'm sorry.”

“For what now?” He didn't sound annoyed, just confused.

“I was about to say that... that I'd love to be able to have books talk to me, but that's... that's really insensitive, considering that you can only hear them cause of who you are, and knowing what you've been through and go through cause of that... God, I'm so stupid, I wish I'd learn to think before I just blurt shit out.” Ahiru turned away. “I'm so sorry...”

“... It's alright,” Fakir said after a minute. “Look, maybe we should just... go to bed and start fresh in the morning. It's been a long day.”

“Yeah, you're right, it has.” Ahiru sighed. “Okay. I'm pretty tired anyway.” She grabbed the remote and turned the TV off. “See you tomorrow, then.”

“Yeah.”

Ahiru laid awake for quite a while after they turned the lights out, just watching the minutes tick past on the grubby old alarm clock the motel had provided while listening to Fakir's breathing even out as he fell asleep. Exhausted as she was, her mind was too full of racing thoughts to let her doze off as quickly as he had. What a day. What a long, horrible, _terrifying_ day. Sure, she hadn't expected the search for Mytho to be _easy,_ but she also hadn't thought that this Raven guy would send people after her to _kill_ her. Apparently it wasn't enough to make his castle hard to find, he wanted to be _really_ sure she never made it there. She and Fakir would have to be extra careful now as they went along, cause it was a good bet he wouldn't stop with just one assassin, especially one that never reported back in. Ahiru shuddered. They'd be a little more prepared now that they knew to stay on guard for this shit, but she still didn't ever want to go through that again, and what if things went even worse next time? Or the time after that? What if their luck ran out somewhere along the way? Was this really what she'd signed up for that night Mytho had appeared in her backyard? It felt like years had passed since then. If she'd known just how much she was going to be getting in over her head she might've chosen differently. Of course, there was no way to know that now. Fact was, she'd said yes, and now no one but her and Fakir could save Mytho. So she had to be brave, no matter how scary it all was.

She supposed there was no use keeping herself awake over it all night, though, especially when there was just as long a day ahead of them tomorrow. Sighing, Ahiru rolled over, turning her back to the red glow of the alarm clock, and closed her eyes. Sleep still didn't come easily, since she had to chase a lot of awful thoughts away in order to quiet her mind, but she managed it eventually.

***

Motel checkout wasn't til eleven, but Hidden Gems opened at ten, and by eight they were both hungry anyway. Since there was no room service, they packed up and left once Ahiru was out of the shower and they were both dressed, and went over to the Burger King for breakfast. After that, it was time to use Ahiru's now fully recharged phone to find their way back to Hidden Gems.

By the time they got there, it was a quarter after ten. Ahiru glanced over at Fakir. “What do we do if there's other customers there already?”

“Wait for them to be done, I guess.” Fakir shrugged. “Nothing else we can do.”

“Right, yeah...” Ahiru peered through the glass door as they walked up to it. “It doesn't seem like there's anyone there at all... wait, there's a guy coming out from the back.”

“Let's go in, then.” Fakir pulled the door open, setting off a little bell mounted on the frame. He waited for Ahiru to go past him, and then followed her in.

The guy Ahiru'd seen from outside, a stocky, middle-aged man with greying hair, looked up from the computer he'd just sat down at and frowned. There was no sign at all to indicate he was fae, but Ahiru would trust Fakir on this one. “Uh... sorry, but I don't offer rental cars here. All sales final. There's an Enterprise a couple blocks away, though.”

“Rental?” Ahiru blinked. “Why d'you think we're—oh, the suitcases.” She shook her head. “That's not what we're here about.”

“You're Charon Schmidt, right?” Fakir stepped forward.

“... Yes.” His bemused expression turned to wariness. “Did you get my name off the website?”

“No. We did look at it, though. Or, she did, anyway.”

“Huh?” Charon stared at him. “Sorry, I'm a little lost. Are you here for a car or not?”

“Yes and no.” Fakir cleared his throat. “Sorry to confuse you, I just... you probably won't remember me, but I've been here before, years ago. With Prince Mytho.”

“Prince—ah, yeah.” Recognition dawned on his face. “I do remember that.” He nodded slowly. “Hard to forget—no, never mind that.” He coughed into his hand. “You doing alright then? Things looking up for you now?” A look of almost fatherly concern came into his eyes.

“I'm... doing better now, yeah.” Fakir nodded. “And I haven't...” He paused. “You were very kind to me when I was here last, I've never forgotten that.”

“Oh, now, don't go embarrassing an old man.” Charon chuckled and scratched the back of his head, his weather-beaten face reddening a little. “I just did what anyone would've, nothing to make a big deal over.”

“Not anyone.” Fakir looked away at the floor, which Ahiru was awkwardly scuffing at with her shoe as they talked. “And it was a big deal to me. So I'm... glad to be able to express my... to let you know that it meant something to me.”

That was his way of thanking him, Ahiru realized with a jolt. Oh God, those times she'd said ‘thank you’ to Fakir without realizing—! And he'd even said it to her too, on Christmas... that had to have felt so weird and wrong to him. She cringed. Would she ever run out of things to apologize to him for?

“Well, if it helped you, then that's all that matters.” Charon cleared his throat. “Anyway, how's his highness? Haven't seen him for an age, and I've been hearing all kinds of rumors lately. Care to set my mind at ease?”

“I...” Fakir tugged on the collar of his coat, which drew Ahiru's attention to the rip from the day before; if he didn't mind, maybe they'd stop in at a clothing store somewhere so she could replace it for him. “I'm... afraid I can't. He's—”

“Ah, hell, you mean it's true?” Charon sagged in his chair. “That Raven fellow's got his claws in him? Explains some things...” He rubbed his forehead.

“Yeah, unfortunately.” Fakir nodded. “What do you mean, though? What does that explain?”

“Few things, none of them good.” Charon sighed. “Neighbor's dog broke his leg last night, I had to close up shop early and watch their kid while they rushed it to the vet. Then when I got up this morning my nice fresh milk'd gone sour, and I heard the people upstairs yelling about the same thing. Boggarts aren't supposed to be in this area, but I guess one went nuts yesterday. Been hearing shit like that from other people for the past day or so, all of it involving Unseelie mischief. Seems like they're starting to run wild. Sure would fit with what you've told me, Raven being an Unseelie noble and all. And now that he has our Prince in his clutches...” He sighed again. “Anyway, that aside, what can I do for you?”

“That's actually what we're here about.” Fakir nudged Ahiru forward. “This is Ahiru. She was—that is, she's—Mytho chose her to marry, so she's trying to rescue him.”

“Hi.” Ahiru gave Charon a small smile and waved at him, heat creeping into her cheeks at the mention of her marrying Mytho.

“Ah, right, I did hear he was looking for a bride.” Charon nodded. “So that's you then? Off to save your captive fiance?”

“Yeah.” Ahiru felt her blush deepen. “He told me before he got taken away that the Raven lives in a castle east of the sun and west of the moon, so we're looking for it so we can save him... do you know where it is?”

“Can't say I do.” He gave her an apologetic look. “Sorry. It's not an easy place to find, you know—talk about off the grid.” Charon chuckled. “I do know someone who might, though, and I can give you their address. And a way to get there, too.”

“Really?” Ahiru's eyes lit up. “That-that'd be great! How much do you want?”

“Want?” Charon frowned. “I don't—wait, you mean payment? No, no.” He waved a hand in the air and laughed. “Don't need it. This one's on the house.”

“What? No!” Ahiru fumbled for her wallet. “I can more than afford it, you don't need to give us a freebie!”

“I'm not. I'm trying to do my part to help Prince Mytho.” Charon's expression grew serious. “He's been good to me for many years, and I've never gotten to do anything real to pay him back. Until now, anyway.”

Ahiru opened her mouth to object again, but Fakir caught her eye and shook his head. “I understand. I have... my own debt to him to repay.” Fakir looked down. “Any assistance you can provide to us is deeply appreciated, and won't be forgotten.”

“Sure. Just let me get that address printed up for you, and then we'll head out to the lot and I'll find you a car.” Charon returned his attention to the computer screen. “Got a particular one in mind that I think'll serve your purposes perfectly.”

“Of course.” Fakir nodded.

They only had to wait a few minutes for Charon to print something out; he folded up the sheet of paper and handed it to Ahiru. “Here. Go to this address, and talk to the person who lives there. I don't know much about this castle east of the sun and west of the moon, but she probably does, so that's your best bet.”

“I appreciate it.” Ahiru tucked it into a zippered pocket inside her purse. “I really do. The car thing, too.”

“Whatever I can do to help Prince Mytho.” Charon smiled. “Now, both of you, follow me.”

He led them through the back of the office, to a lot filled with a wide variety of different cars. Ahiru eyed it warily. “How do we find it?”

“You don't. I do.” Charon held up the keys he'd somehow acquired when she wasn't looking, and jangled them. “Wait here, I'll bring the car to you.”

And he was off. Ahiru and Fakir watched him go. “Which one do you think it is?” she asked.

“Dunno.” Fakir shrugged. “Could be any of these.”

“True.” Ahiru took a few steps forward, surveying the lot. “Maybe it's... something like that.” She pointed at a yellow VW Bug a little ways away.

“Ugh. I hope not.” Fakir eyed it with distaste.

“Why?” Ahiru planted her hands on her hips. “What's wrong with yellow? It reminds me of ducklings!”

“It's not the color that's the problem, it's the size.” He gestured at it with his hand. “Way too small for us.”

“Wouldn't be for me!” Ahiru grinned. “I'd fit in it with no problem!”

“That's because you're the size of a flea.” Fakir stuck his hands in his pockets and walked forward. “Or a hobbit.”

“Am not!” Ahiru stuck her tongue out. “So, you know _Lord of the Rings_ too?”

“I work in a _library_ , and Mytho made sure I bought myself human-authored books, and you already know that I've read _His Dark Materials_.” Fakir shook his head. “Don't look so surprised that I've read what's apparently a classic of fantasy literature.”

“I'm not surprised, I'm just not psychic, I don't know every book Mytho got for you.” Ahiru rolled her eyes. “Gimme a break, I really doubt you've read _every_ human book out there, how'm I supposed to know what we have in common without talking about it?”

“I suppose.” Fakir shrugged. “To be honest, I'm surprised _you_ know them, given how old they are.”

“Eh, it's not that surprising, or at least it wouldn't be if you knew much about the outside world.” Ahiru kicked at a pebble and missed. “The movies are so popular, practically everyone's seen them, I went and read the books after I watched them and then watched the movies again. And again and again.”

“Movies?” Fakir gave her a blank stare. “They... someone actually made movies of them?” He scowled. “Wait, before you say anything... yes, I know what movies are.”

“I wasn't gonna say anything. Honest!” Ahiru added, as he gave her a skeptical look. “Except that, yeah, they made movies out of the series... a-and that maybe we could watch them sometime. I mean, if—if you're interested...” It was a little bit weird, to have a normal conversation like this, but also... nice? After so long of clashing every time they met, not to mention Fakir trying to hide his true heritage from her and thus keeping up an invisible wall between them, it was a relief to talk openly and casually. Maybe now they could actually move towards a real friendship.

“I'll... think about it.” Fakir looked past her. “Here comes Charon with the car.”

“Oh!” Ahiru turned around. Sure enough, there he was. Driving a green two-door car that looked like it was at least ten years old, probably more. “Oh hey, I like it...”

“Seems like a good car, yeah.” Fakir stepped backward, and so did Ahiru, so that Charon could pull up in front of them. He got out of the car, leaving it running, and walked over to them.

“Here she is. A 2001 Mini Cooper.” Charon grinned at them. “I know, maybe she doesn't look like the flashiest thing in the lot, but she'll serve you well. Solid-running car, loaded up with all kinds of special features, and not just the ones human automakers stick in.” He winked.

“Like what?” Fakir asked.

“Well, for starters, it's iron-free, so it's safe for you to ride in.” Charon tapped a finger on his chin as he thought. “As for the rest, too many to mention, honestly. I mean, you got all the standard human ones, like airbags and power windows, but I also added a bunch on that'll be useful to you on your quest. There's a manual I wrote up in the glove compartment, one of you can read all about it while the other drives. And you can go—” Charon pointed at a driveway on the far right end of the lot. “Out that way.”

“Alright.” Fakir nodded. “We'll be on our way, then, and let you get back to running your business. It was kind of you to take time out of your day to help us.”

“Like I said, whatever I can do to help the prince.” Charon leaned closer to them. “Now, you two take care, alright? The world seems to be getting more dangerous, and I'm sure the Raven won't be too pleased to hear you're looking for him. Keep an eye out in case his agents are watching for you, okay?”

“They already are.” Fakir rubbed his right shoulder. “We... ran into one last night.”

“You're serious?” Charon paled, and went even paler when Fakir nodded. “Ah, shit... you two gonna be okay out there?” He cast a nervous glance around the lot, as if another one of the Raven's servants might appear from behind one of the other cars. “If I kept weapons around, I'd give you one, but I don't have any... damn...”

“We'll be fine. Don't worry.” Fakir laid his hand on his own shoulder, conveniently hiding most of the tear in his jacket. “We were a little careless last night, but as you can see, we're both alright, and now that we know they're on the lookout for us, we'll be more watchful. It'll be fine.”

“Alright, if you say so. But don't ever, ever let your guard down.” Charon took a deep breath. “Be cautious at all times.”

“We will.” Fakir nodded at him. “Don't worry. And you've done more than enough to help already, so don't worry about that either.”

“I'm a worrywart of an old man. It's in my blood.” Charon grinned, though it didn't completely reach his eyes. “Anyway, you two better get this show on the road if you're be successful, eh?” He clapped them both on the shoulders. “Go on with you. Bring Prince Mytho home. I bet he can't wait to see you again.” He winked again, this time solely at Ahiru. “Take care.”

“I—yeah! We will!” Ahiru could feel herself blushing again. “Y-you take care too!”

“Of course.” He let go of them, and stepped away so they could get in the car. “May you find open roads and few obstacles.”

Fakir nodded at him. “Same to you.”

They loaded their suitcases into the trunk first. Then, to Ahiru's dismay, Fakir headed towards the driver's seat. “Hey, I can drive, you know!”

“No, I didn't know that.” Fakir sat down.

Ahiru huffed. “And how do _you_ know how to drive anyway? Or are you planning on getting us killed?”

Fakir shot her a scowl. “Raetsel taught me. You can drive next shift. We’ll take turns.”

Ahiru held her pout for a moment before sighing and shrugging. “Oh, well, okay, that’s fair.” She shrugged and climbed into the passenger seat before shooting Fakir a grin. “But that means I get to pick the music while you're driving.”

“Fine.” Fakir adjusted the rearview mirror. “Try to pick something that's not annoying, though.”

“Fiiiiiiiiine.” Ahiru stuck her tongue out at him, and to her surprise, he laughed as he turned the key and started the engine. It wasn't a very big laugh, but it was the first she'd heard from him in what felt like forever, and it made her feel a little bit of warmth, though it was also tempered with a slight pang. “Let's see...” She turned the radio on, and shuffled through stations as Fakir drove slowly towards the lot exit. It was hard, because she didn't know any local ones here, but eventually she found a classical station, which seemed like it'd be the least likely to annoy Fakir, plus she liked a few pieces herself thanks to her interest in ballet. The host was just finishing up talking about a fundraiser, and then introduced the next piece: Rimsky-Korsakov's Scheherazade, second movement. Ahiru glanced over at Fakir as the sound of violins filled the car.“This okay?”

“Yeah.” Fakir nodded.

“Okay, good.” Ahiru settled back in her seat, and let the music wash over her as they left the lot with a little bump onto the road. Somehow, it felt like this was the real start of their journey together.

And Ahiru was more than ready.

 


End file.
